Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-11-17
URGES PLAN To
Z FIGHT THISTLE
W.. Neill Spurs Farmers of
County to Early
Action

1fnads UP IN interest what II lacked In
Plumbers.
4 The chief feature OF he institute
sas a talk on The Russian Thistle
by w. ]. Neiil, director OF Farmers
INSTITUTES for the State department
OF Agriculture. who called attention
TO the growing menace OF this oDnoX-
Jors weed. aud who declared that
ttepe should be- taken 10 enlist aid
of the United States government. tho
state legislature. county officials and
an commissioners courts. Ia assuring
early aud definite steps for eradica-
lion OF this pest
Nr NELL. a, whose Dehost the Ia
stitalo was called. vas preceded by
Major W. N. Dgiiel OF Claude. prcsi-
dent OF the Panhandle swiuoDreed-
ers' Association. who declared that
the Organization which he headed in-
tended 10 hole us annual meeting 10
Amarillo. The Metropolis OF tho
West" during the mouth OF January.
Major buffet urged all present to-
aid by their presence and Influence IN
making the meeting here q notable
success.
Aftof this plea. which was ire
'uuantly repeated, thr speaker launch
cd Into a discussion of sHinebreeding
from tho standpoint of practical
breeder, and invited questions on any
point by hls auditors Major Dui.
fors talk was OF genuine Interest In
tersporsoG as II vas with a quaint
and individual humor which elected
rounds OF laughter
The speaker declared chat ,ho
Texas Panhandle aas 'h0 most favor
cd section ol the uitrl states Tor
profitable hog-raising Asserting
that the soil was rich In potash ani
other properties which made growing
of the best swine feeding crops pos
able. be proficrcd valuable iniorma-
ton relative to selection OF stock,
methods of breeding. feeding. fatton-
ing and marketing tie declared that
when the special advantages of this
section are made more generally
known to the outside sNinebrceder.
~ influx OF expert hog men Will re-
SbN. and that packories will OF neces-
sity be- established at this point to
deliver tho finished product.
After replying TO number OF In
quiries, Major Duffol yielded the
floor 10 Mr.. NELL, who went directly
Into the subject OF Russian Thistle.
and the best methods FOR its eradica-
ton" Mr.. NELL declared that fight
against the thistle might be waged
NJ this time for less money and to
greater effect than two years hence,
and urged his hearers TO bestr them
selves TO the end that adequate legis-
htion might be obtained which
would result IN removing this men
acc from the Plains country.
On suggestion Of the speaker. II
sas determined that a mass meeting
OF farmers and the general citizen
ship should be held In the county
court room next Saturday afternoon
at . O'Clock. at which time resolu.
,ions will be- adopted recommending
enactment of laws or adequate APP
psopriation at the hands OF the In
coming state legislature
hs an immediate step In this cam.
peign. the following petition was
drafted for submission 10 the Com
mittee On Agriculture OF the next
National Congress. and this viii be
ilberaHy circulated during the next
few DAYS for local singers:
To the Committee of Agriculture OF
fhe House OF Representatives OF
THE United States OF America
Nc desire 60 recommend TO your
Honorable Body the passage OF the
House Bill No providing for the
eradication of the Russian Thistle
from the state Of Texas We repre-
sont Farmers institute and other In
tstesis OF said state. and We have
personally given such time. study.
and attention to this matter as our
very limited means would make pos
sible Ne find this weed to be one
Of thc most obnoxious and pernicious
weeds that We have ever had to deal
with. and. II the spreading is not
checked, the farming and stock in
torests viii 10 damaged greatly The
spread OF the weed is very rapid. and
unltss We have persistent and
unified effort on the part OF the
people. We viii have every farm In
the state damaged or ruined In a.
mort space OF time. The weed Is
supposed TO have been brought to
this state from Kansas and other
western states infested with IL In
grain and hay used by railroad con-
tractors while building the railroads
Dr. the Western part OF this state.
7 S conclusion is drawn from the
e. 1 that the weed was first discoy-
ocd flourishing along the railroad
tricks IN Western Texas. The spread
has been very rapid and the weed
nov covers the entire Panhandle and
South Plains OF Texas and New
Mexico. and Is tending to spread East
and South very rapidly
We. therefore. appeal 10 Congress
for Md, through appropriate legisla-
tom TO assist the people Of this state
In fddlng themselves o. this most
obHorious weed And IN duty bound