East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-12-26

gonion.) )--Having been appointed
fruit commissioner of Umatilla coun-
ty. and in examining the horticultural
prospects OF other states my attention
has been called to the Russion thistle,
and having noticed the same in our
own county. | feel it my duty to warn
the farmers of its destructiveness and
measures of its control.
first had my attention called to
it in the Hudson Bay district, where
1t Is growing in great profusion along
the county roads. and irrigating
bitches.
From the fact that the Russian this
tie is a new weed in our state. there
exists vast amount of ignorance con-
cerning it, owing to its name, which
is an absurd misnomer. every species
of thistle and many other weeds are
mistaken for 1t. and from various
sources we learn of its existence over
the length and bredth OF the state,
but In most cases our informants are
mistaken.
The fact Is, at present, this pest is
county that it may be said not to
exist here, and in order that our
county commissioners and others in
terested may be able to recognize this
weed on sight, and also to realize the
great importance of totally eradicat-
ing 1t where it may be discovered,
that have this published.
In the first place. it should be un-
derstood that the Russian thistle" is
long to the thistle family; in fact.
does not resemble thistle in any re-
spect in its habits of growth. foliage.
seeds or methods of distribution. 1t
is as much like cabbage as it is like
a thistle, and how it got its name is
mystery.
It may be that the uniformed call
all plants with thorns cactuses, so,
the farmers when they saw that the
r. mt and Pri'tles conc,Ih"t that Lll
prickly plants must be thistles, and
50 gave 1t this name; but II the reader
wants to recognize the Russian this
tie, they must not look for a thistle.
In its native land it is called "leap-
the-field," which is certainly more de-
scriptive. 1t Is tumble weed and is
somewhat related to our American
tumble weed. 1t is an annual, coming
from seed each year. making its ap-
pearance in April and May.
The first two leaves are two small
tender shoots. about an inch in length.
somewhat resembling grass blades
Between these seed leaves the lone
stem soon makes its appearance.
This Is lined with sharp pointed, slen-
der leaves, from the axils of which
branches are soon thrown out. It's
growth during the early stages is
rather slow, and the plant. being then
young and tender. is eaten by stock.
In about two months the plant be-
gins to blossom: it looses its tender
ness, the stem becomes dry and rigid
with reddish stripes, the spines on
the leaves become hard. and the true
leaves fall off The flowers are very
small. of a greenish color. each born
~ tie 9vil of leaf anil sU"roundel
by three small. springbracts Al
though tie flowers are born Separ-
ately upon the stem. they appear in
multitudes on the plant, and each
produces its seed.
AS the plant increases In age 1t al
so increases greatly in size until it
forms a dense bushy mass, frequent
ly from two to three feet in height, |
and from four to six feet in diameter,
each OF these branches is lined It's
entire length with seed.
The whole plant is borne upon n !
single 9 ort, slender stem half an inch
or less in diameter, which when the
plant ripens, dries and becomes very
brittle. Upon pressure of the first
hard wind it snaps off and the weed
goes bounding along before the wind
distributing the seed in every dlrec-
tion, some plants 1t is estimated hav-
ing as many as 900, 900 seeds.
In Dakota specimens which have
been tagged were traced for dis
tance of from 10 to is miles. The
seeds are quite small. After the plant
IS matured the branches lose their
red and green color and become dry
and bleac ed in appearance. The
root which is at no time very we'll
developed, then breaks off near the
s,rface and the .plart ls iaady % start
on its seed-scattering journey before
the wind.
And it is suited TO its mode OF trans
portation. 1t is light, wiry. and
strong; its shape is nearly that of a
sphere and 1t goes bounding across
fields until stopped. by a fence, ditch
or vegetation, leaving its seeds scat
tered over miles of surface ready to
sprout as soon as favorable conditions
shall arise.
The injury to crops Is the most i'm
Russian thistle. 1t takes complete
possession of the land, crowdlng out
other plants
Warning to the farmers of which
hope each will take heed: East of
the Rocky mountains the thistle Is
already so widely distributed that It's
combined progress in that region Is
sstant botanist Of the United States
department of agriculture, estimated
that the cost to farmers Of Dakota
alone in loss of crops over $4,000. 900
for that season.
Its advent into our county, however,
In far more serious matter. With
the natural conditions thus favorable
to it's exclusion and knowing the
disastrous nature of the scourge, 1t Is
almost criminal to allow 1t to become
established in our state or county.