Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-06-22
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QuACk GRASS AND PLANT
DISEASE SURVEY OR
INSPECTION WORK.

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The department of botany at the
agricultural college is busy these days
with the plant survey work.
There are three men at work in the
held besides such trips as am able
to make. During the week assistant
botanist Professor o. A. Stevens is at
work on the 500 line between Valley
City and Minot. Assistant Professor
J. R. Campbell is working east on the
Northern Pacific from Bismarck. Pro-
lessor Bergman is working in associ-
alton with the special economic sur
vey of Barnes county and will this
week be working out from Valley City.
Last week he was working near
jamestown and Sanborn.
AS in the case of the work in prev.
ious years l am directing that phase
of the economic survey which has to
do with the distribution of the native
plants of the state with reference to
the soil characters of the different
localities surveyed The rolleutors
take careful note of the character of
the soil, the age under cultivation. the
kind of crops growing, the relation
ship of the crops to weeds and plant
diseases, and definite specim ems repre-
senting all of the different phases Of
the plant growth are collected by the
inspectors.
This summer special effort is be.
ing made to determine the associated
relationship of quackgrass and bronze
grass and to map areas Of flax-sick or
|wheat-sick. soil.
The inspectors or collectors 20 to a
particular town. locate there for a
day or two. placing themselves in
touch with these farmers or business
men who are most interested in the
crops of the immediate vicinity and
with them 60 to the fields pointing
out to them the many features of soil
sickness or weed injury which are ap-
parent.
Many farmers of the state do not
know quack grass when they see 1t.
with the result that though it starts
on their farm in very small way
it very soon has charge of large areas
and there are great difficulties of fight
ing.
In the case of the bronze grass the
quack grass has become so generally
distributed in the bronze grass grow
ing districts that it is almost impOssi-
BILE to get bronze grass seed which
does not contain quack grass. | am
trying to direct a survey this year and
will locate as many fields as possible
which are found to be free from quack
grass and will try to induce the own
ers of such fields to save the seed in
order that the local statesmen and 9TH
er farmers may be able to buy bronze
seed free from quack grass, thing
which would be of great economic
value to the state. am hoping that
when one of our inspectors reaches
certain particular town the business
man, especially those interested in
good seed and clean crops Will aid
them in every way they can. Our
funds are limited and the inspectors
are sent only to such towns as make
request for inspection OF their bronze
grass. wheat or flax areas.
This year is a splendid year to call
attention to the wheat-sick areas and
fax areas; it is easy to locate them
and the inspectors will be glad to call
attention to such areas or visit any
areas in which the persons with whom
they are cooperating may be inter
ested.
The mode of work is at first to
drive rapidly to as many fields az pos
sible make preliminary examinations.
These fields which contain Quack