Smyrna times., 1908-09-16
FAR MERS WARNED
AGAINST CLOVER
MUCH DAMAGE DONE BY
THE DODDER A PARASITE
R. H. Cummins of Meadow Lawn
Farm Gives Some Timely Advice
to Farmers of This Vicinity

There is one plant, however, that
desires to leave the earth where it
was produced from seed; and, while
it has no means of walking, it is so
determine to carry out its purpose
that it will not stop short of murder.
There is, indeed, no more sinister
parasite than this same dodder, a
degraded member of the lovely
onvOlvulus family. You would not
know this, though, save for the tiny
flowers; for the dodder is a mere
pink or crimson thread, twining
itself in a hopeless tangle round
nettles and thistles, furze and thyme,
heather, oats, or vetches. Not a
leaf marks its whole length, and it
is quite innocent of the green color
matter that stamps every honest
plant. Its seeds germinate in the
earth and come up with amazing
rapidity in day or two. Travel, the
plant must; an should no foster
parent be within reach it will die
miserably of sheer loneliness. But
watch the little threadlike feelers
cropping for foster parent!
The moment the wandering and
seeking tip of the dodder's stem
touches an innocent young plant, it
quickly makes a secure hitch round
about it which cannot be shaken off.
This vegetable cold Man of the
Sea" clings for dear life, and
the tragedy begins. The victim
grows rapidly, and its upward
movement pulls the young parasite
dodder clear out of the soil, so that
its tender roots shrivel up and perish.
So far all is we'll from the dodder' s
point of view. 1t has the promotion
it sought from childhood. It's
great ambition was to "get out of
the rut" and never again return to
it. But observe how the little plant
shows its gratitude. Having lost
its earth roots, it Immediately
begins to put forth roots in the air
which pierce the skin of it's bene-
factor, ramify and branch this way
and that in its delicate flesh, drawing
much nutriment from it, and thriv-
ing on the life blood of the tender
plant thus parasitically fastened
upon.
The above notice is from the
Sunday Press Magazine and describes
the plant which for a number of
years has destroyed the young clover
plant, the seed of which was sown
on land early in March which was
seeded to wheat the fall previous.
Farmers when buying their clover
seed usually look to see if it is free
from tipple or wild carrott seed, not
having knowledge there was de-
structive plant as dodder, and where
the clover seed won't germinate and
frequently come in head about the
time the wheat is harvested or soon
thereafter it would be discovered
the young clover plant would
gradually disappear, which was
generally attributed to the hot
sunshine not knowing or suspecting
anyother cause. For a number of
years farmers have bought the best
clover seed and took particular pains
in sowing it on their land seeded to
wheat but when the wheat was
harvested the young clover plant
would gradually disappear. The
writers experience has been the same
as stated with other farmers and
without knowledge of the true cause,
he bought a magnifying glass in
order to detect any obnoxious seeds
which might be found in the clover
seed or the wheat bought for seeding
which he has discovered ripple and
wild carrOtt seed in the clover seed,
he has not discovered the murderous
dodder which is the true cause of the
destruction of the young clover plant
during the months of July and
August, after the wheat is harvested.
By reason of difficulty in getting a
good stand of red clover which is alb
solutely essential for all farmers, for
it contains the essential element
nitrogen the most essential for grow
ing crop of wheat or corn. There
is not anything known that can take
| the Dlace of rcd c,ovar apd if farroo,.e
will be more particular in buying
their clover seed and buy only that
grown in the state of Ohio, free from
seed of this peculiar plant known as
dodder, they will be more sure o1
getting a good stand of clover.