Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-12-10
SOURCES OF WEALTH
VALUE OF WEEDS LONG LOOKED
ON AS NUisANcEs.
experts in Agricultural Department
have Found Use for the Once
Dreaded Russian Thistle-caljfor.
MAS Native Rushes Also Of Worth.

The great benefit which this coun-
try derives from the practical, pains
taking work of it's several agricultural
departments and special workers
along that line is beyond computa-
ton. Some of the most striking in.
stances of the way in which these
trained experts point out how to
obtain something from nothing-how
to make valuable assets of materials
long condemned as nuisances-will
serve to illustrate the truth of. the
statement.
A few years ago the Russian thistle
was the most dreaded of all weeds
by farmers of the middle west. When
once started it drove out all other
vegetables, refusing to yield to the
farmers efforts at eradication. Col.
umns OF advice about it's proper treat
mert were printed in the papers and
the legislature of Kansas passed a law
on the subject, but the thistle con-
tlnued to live and cause trouble. Two
years ago F. d. Coburn, secretary of
the State Board of Agriculture, issued
bulletin in which he declared that
the Russian thistle, when properly
tured. made excellent food for stock,
Cattlemen tried the experiment and
iound that their stock would devour
i eagerly. Singularly enough, the mo-
fnent it was proven to be of value, the
dreaded thistle commenced to die out,
snd at the present time has ceased
y exist in many localities. 1t is
claimed, however, that this weed can
be raised in abundance on the dry
.lalns in many western states.
Another valuable discovery was an
fourced recently by c. M. Fuller. a
Ienver chemist. On the alkali deserts
Il Colorado there growed noxious
weed which had long been the bane
IT the sheep herder's life. since every
t.cmber of their flock partaking of it's
tucculent growth was sure to die. Mr..
uller made the important discovery
hat the juice of this plant. ''Actrenal-
Ia Richardson" yielded a good rub
Ter gum when properly treated. His
discovery is timely. as the Para rub
Der plantations of South America have
ceased to meet the demand for rub
Ter in this country. Colorado may vet
terive great revenue from the utiliza.
ION of a nuisance.
California seems about to reap
great benefit from the tules or native
lushes Astounding within her borders.
The way for new and profitable in
'ustry has been opened by Professor
Il. w. Hilgard, head of the agricultur-
al college at the University OF Cali
fornia. Through his efforts expert
nents with California rushes have
been made by the Goodale Mating
of Maine. They proved to
be superior in many ways to the
PUSHES now imported by the company
from China and Japan. The plant in
PRODUCTION bureav of the department
of agriculture a. Washington is inter.
esting itself in the subject. They have
procured several hundred |
roots of the native rush, which will |
be used for experimental culture In |
various parts Of the United States with |
a view to supplying our own demand |
in the near future. Thus 40 present |
methods tend to the creation Of valu.
able assets from the waste and rub
bish of our national domain.