The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-11-22
Glover Dodder or strangle Weed.

Dodder grows from seed which germi-
mates in the soil and grows there for a
time When the clover has become well
established and is growing vigorously the
dodder runners have also begun to de-
velop. They begin to twine about the
clover As soon as clover stem is en- :,
circled, writes Prof. John d. Gilmore o.
the Pennsylvania experiment station, small
suckers protrude from the dodder stem,
penetrate the cl6ver and perform the func-
tions Of roots. When the dodder has be-
come well attached to the clover the con-
tact with the soil dies, it grows vigorously,
spreads rapidly and soon kills the clover.
The dodder on these plants dies also, but
the new growth continues in the direction
of fresh pasture, thus in time forming
circle of dead plants fringed with a ring of
dodder gradually spreading. The plant
flowers profusely and produces seed, which
under favorable conditions may germinate
in the spring.
1t is not often that clover dodder spreads
over the entire field during the first year
from seeding, but the second year,it is
likely to be much more prevalent, owing
to the abundance of seed scattered. The
small patches or single plants from which
it spreads, if discovered in time, may be
scraped with hoe, clover and all, and
carried from the field. Care must be ex.
ercised, however, not to scatter any loose
sprigs as these may take hold and grow.
If the infested patches have attained con-
siderable size, ring Is inches to 2 feet
wide may be scraped around them to pre-
vent further spreading, but this method
does not prevent the maturing and scatter
ing of the seed .-s
Sometimes the infested spots may be
covered with straw or other rubbish and
burned. In case the entire field is affected
the meadow may be heavily pastured OF
the sod may be plowed under. In case
the crop is pastured the clover may be
saved for the use of the stock, but at the
same time viable dodder seed may remain
in the soil and become troublesome again
next year unless the land is put in corn or
some other cereal crop. If the sod is
turned under in the fall the soil will be
ameliorate1 by the clover and the land
may be planted to corn, potatoes or some
grass or cereal crop next year. The latter
is perhaps the surer method. g.
Dodder may be distributed by seed sown
with the clover seed, in manure made from
infested hay or scattered from roadsides or
waste places. The first method is per-
haps the most common. Clover seed
should never be harvested and saved from
dodder infested fields. 1t is in this way
the two become mixed If, however, the
seeds are harvested together they should
be separated by sieves Of such mesh as to
hold back the clover seed and allow the
dodder to pass through.
For mammoth, crimson and medium
red clover this is easily accomplished by
sieve, with mesh of 20 to the inch, but
with white and alske clovers the separation
is more difficult, as these clovers and the
dodder are nearly the same size. How
ever 25-mesh sieve, while permitting
some small clover seeds to pass through
and retaining some large dodder seeds, will
make a fairly good separation. The i'm
portant point is: the planter must see that
he secures pure, clean clover seed. He is
invited to use the privilege of sending
sample of his seed to the school of agricul-
ture and experiment station college, for an
examination as to its purity.