The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-01-28
Government rxhlblt OF wsnd..


The exhibit of weeds and weed seeds
by the United States Department of
Agriculture is well worthy of mention.
To know them is the first step toward
keeping weeds in check. In the past
some of the most dangerous and
troublesome ones have spread over
whole townships before they were rec
ognized. The ignorance regarding the
Identity of weeds is surprising. Science
has to large extent discovered the
easiest way of keeping each kind of
weed in check. The knowledge thus
gained Is disseminated by the agricul-
tural press and by the station bulletins.
But what good does it do for a man
to know how to treat a weed if he does
not know the weed when he sees it?
Exhibits Of weeds are therefore neces-
sary and are sure to be appreciated by
the men that want to learn.
The weeds exhibited at Buffalo are
growing in pots and comprise only the
most common kinds, among which the
writer noticed the following: Curled
dock, sorrel, rough pig weed, smart
weed, ragweed (ambrosia artemisoe-
folia), wild carrot caucus car
ota), lambsquarter, also called pig
weed (chenopodium album), plantain,
crabgrass, buckhorn (ripple), witch
grass, yellow foxtail, chess Cheat,
and mayweed
Seeds of weeds and of our common
grasses were shown in open glass
bowls, closed glass tubes, and also un-
der microscopes. A strong instrument
of this kind was placed before every
kind of seed with a sample under it
ready for inspection. This was done
for the purpose of familiarizing the
visitors with the characteristics of
each kind of seed. The samples were
of those most likely to be found in the
cultivated fodder plants and grasses.
There were seeds of the weeds men
toned above and in addition seeds of
COW cookie, corn cookie, field dodder.
oxeye daisy, yellow foxtail, green fox
tail pigeon grass, pepper grass and
trefoil. Among the seeds of cultivated
grasses were those of alsike clover,
alfalfa red clover, red top, beardless
bronze grass, Kentucky blue grass and
orchard grass.
1t is advisable for the farmer to
know all the seeds mentioned, as the
seeds of the grasses mentioned are
quite commonly rendered impure by
containing large amounts of the seeds
Of the weeds mentioned. A dollar lens
In the hands of farmer familiar with |
these seeds will make it possible to de- |
tect the presence among commercial
seeds of obnoxious weed seeds. A gen
oral knowledge of this kind would soon
render impossible the sale of seed i'm
pure or adulterated. Yellow trefoiI
seed is used extensively as an adul-
-erant of clover seed, and it so close
y resembles the seed of red clover
hat the ordinary buyer Of clover seed
8 unable to distinguish it from clover
iced. But the microscope reveals some
features. The clover
iced of whatever color has a triangular
with broadly rounded cor
lers. This triangular formation is not
likely to be noticed by the amateur un-
ess his attention be called to it. The
iced of trefoil, on the other hand, has
lone Of this formation. but is quite
lat and bean-shaped. Its color, too, is
more OF the yellow order, and it does
lot have the purplish cast as do many
Il the seeds of red clover. Moreover
lacks the gloss. The man that finds
he seeds of yellow trefoil in his clover
eed should know that 1t has been in
entionally adulterated, as the yellow
refoil has habits of growth that make
unlikely that its seed would get
mixed naturally with the seeds Of red
lover. When the seed of yellow ire
oil is thus found, the quantity is like
to be large, as some of the mixers
lain that as high as 80 per cent can
e mixed with red clover seed with
ut detection by the purchaser.