The Dickinson press., 1906-12-29

olucI paris. 1 AC AOOO lIldlcIldlS Ill tlCIl
allow these underground stems to stand
drying for period of time, and when the
buds start, serve to give the young weeds
vigorous growth. Such weeds can for
this reason outgrow any ordinary crop
soil is soon thoroughly matted with their
thick felt from which ordinary cultivat-
ed plants are able to draw very little
nourishment The seeds of the Canada
thistle and sow thistle are furnished with
downy hairs which act like the para
chutes of the dandelion and the seeds are
borne about by the slightest breezes to
distant parts. 1t has only been a few
years since the first Canada thistles were
observed in the northeastern counties of
the states. Now there are small patches
of them to be found in almost every
county of the state. think that the gem
eral infection of the ground, thruout
which areas one may expect to find this
ties in large quantities, may be said to be
proceeding south and westwatd from
Walsh and Pembina counties at a, rate at
least equal to five miles per year. The
SOW thistle is yet found only in compare
lively small patches, it being an intro
duced weed, but it is spreading with
much greater rapidity than the Canada
thistle. The quack grass is of such vigor
and vitality of growth that it can probably
crowd out either one of these two other
weeds. have never seen good crop
of wheat on any ground which was occu-
pied by quack grass. When this grass
is present about the only crop that can be
grown is crop that is cultivated two or
three times each week, such as corn or
potatoes, and it will be found difficult to
get quick enough growth of these in
spring to get ahead of the quack grass.
This grass looks very much like our ma
tive western wheat grass, and thus the
farmers are allowing it to come in with
great rapidity without knowing its de-
structive power. The seed looks very
much like the seed of bronze grass slen-
der wheat grass, or that of meadow fes-
cue so that the farmer may readily buy
large quantities of it with other agricul-
tural grass seeds. This type OF grass
seed is also light and, as it stays in the
head until late, is easily scattered by the
winter winds and drifting SHOWS. have
seen the seed of each of these three
noxious weeds in grass seeds which have
been sold to farmers for seeding purpos-
es. Many of our farmers in the state dc
not know the seeds of either of these
weeds, and many of them do know them
and know the weeds but make very little
effort to fight the small patches of these
noxious weeds that are now appealing or
their farms. 1t is evident that the time
will come when these weeds will cause
the farmers of this state great expense tc
combat unless some concerted action car
soon be taken to destroy the small patch
es which are now developing and to keer
the larger areas under proper control.
This article is written for the purpose
of calling attention to this matter. 1t i.
we'll worth the consideration of the peo
pie of the state, whether or not some or
ganized attempt be made to protect the
uncontaminated farms which at presen
consist of most of the vast area OF Nortl
Dakota. Is it wise to allow few care
less farmers to jeopardize the farming in
terests of the many7 Is it wise to allow
careless or Indifferent seedsmen, know
ingly or otherwise, defraud the farming
public?
Although noxious weed laws have no
usually proven very effective, it is posi-
BILE that properly framed law, propsrl,
enforced, associated with a concerted
educational effort might save many mil
lions of dollars to the agriculture of thi
state. A seed inspection law whicl