The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-08-03
War On The Canada Thistle
by Dr. r. j. Exams, u A.

This war should be one of utter ex.
termination. II will be bitter
fight. There can, however, be but
ere outcol'e If all the people the
firm"rs, the city folks, ~ ruun.rc",
tie cities and corpor FOR, line u
in their determined might to slay the
invading army
The army of the enemy originated
in Europe. 1t has already oyef.ua
many parts of Canada and nov is
making its march Of devastation thru
this country. Detachments have al
ready been found in Cache, Salt Lake,
Utah and Carbon counties. They are
especially active In the suburban els.
tricts and are Thoroughly intrenchiug
themselves along the canals and the
bitches of these sections.
Unless we bring to bear every
available force and execute the lew
strictly, 1t will be a matter OF but a
short time until the enemy will have
us firmly gripped in his mighty arm.
Description
The Canada thistle Is a perennial
plant living on year after year. 1t
ranges from one to three feet In
height. with moderately slender stalks
as compared with the other thistles
The leaves are very spiny and the
margins have a ruffled appearance.
The spines cause irritation to the
mouths of livestock fed on feed from
thistle infested fields. The stems are
much branched, but smooth. The
flower heads are borne near the top
of the branches in a somewhat clus.
tered condition. The flower measures
about half inch in diameter, or less
and Is usually purple in color, but
may range to almost white. It blooms
usually from July to August, this
year as early as June.
This thistle is propogated both by
seed and underground root stalks.
The seed has white feathery cluster
of hairs attached to It when mature.
These aid In its distribution.
From numerous little life giving
centers on the root stalk new shoots
are sent up, thus making rapid in.
crease without the aid of seeds.
The thistle most resembling this
one is the imported bull thistle. The
stems of the bull thistle Are spiny.
while those OF. the Canada thistl care
practically smooth. Its stems are
larger and its leaves not so clearly
outlined as those of the Canadian
Thistle. Its flowers are also much
larger and probably less clustered.
This plant is biennial living only
two years and does not have the
creeping root stalk as does the Can.
ada thistle. Some farmers here
have taken prickly lettuce, sow this
tie and similar plants to be this weed
but they are very different.
The Canada thistle will grow In
pastures or in fields of any other
farm crop.
Its Methods Of Warfare
Like the great German Empire |,
has provided itself with immense
quantities Of reserve food, which is
stored in it's monstrous underground
root system, called root stalks. This
constitutes its great strength and
makes possible its mighty endurance
The plant does not have to depend
on seeding each year for its propaga
ton, but will live on indefinitely with
out this process. The great root
system has power to send up new
shoots or plants from thousand life
giving centers. There are definite
cases where a single seed has sprout,
ed and within two years through the
root system alone, spread to cover
twenty square feet OF surface. This
monster feeds SO heavily on the soil
and covers the ground so completely
that no other plant has any chance
of surviving. 1t is the horror OF az
| the farmers who know it.
When to Strike
Just as an opposing army becomes