Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-08-13
STATE WEED LAWS
LEVY ON PROPERTY
DUTY or ENFORCING THEM
RESTS ON SUPERVISORS OF
ROAD DISTRICTS,
BY Ira ID. Cardiff.
Director and Botanst, Pullman En-
nprimppt Station

Ds
Director and Botanist, Pullman En-
pertinent Station.
The law of Washington provides
quite amply for the destruction of
noXious weeds, and undoubtedly has
done much to check their spread.
But weeds grow on both good and
poor land-it is unnecessary to pre-
pare seed-beds for them, or even to
plant and cultivate them. They grow
with spontaneity, vigor, and prolif-
icacy entirely unparalleled by the de-
sired crops of agriculture, and while
we are Staying them by the million in
our fields and gardens. they are, in
effect, running nurseries of their own
in unnoticed fence corners or on un-
occupied, non-agricultural land.
From these spots weed seed are
carried in numerous ways provided
by nature to the very fields where
from we had exterminated their kind.
This process is apt to continue indefi-
nitely-that is, weeds will always be
with us. Weed legislation is by no
means futile, however, but it must
be confessed that nature is wholly
profligate in her support Of weed
laws. So, at times. is the public.
In Washington, the botanist of the
state college and the botanist of the
state university are empowered to
declare a weed to be "noxious" when
it interferes seriously with agricul-
ture. The botanists notify the county
auditors of the counties wherein the
weeds are growing. Then the county
auditors have the information fur
nished by the botanists printed for
four successive weeks in the news
paper of the county or city which
does the public printing.
Method of Enforcement.
1t then becomes the duty of each
road supervisor in each road district
in the state to see to it that the pro-
vision of the law is carried out.
When he finds that an owner, occu-
pier, or manager of land is permit
ting weeds to grow illegally, he
serves notice on the parties con-
cerned that they must destroy the
weeds within 10 days from the date
of notice. In case the owner does
not do SO, the road supervisor should
enter upon the premises with a suffi-
cient force and destroy the weeds
with minimum damage to the stand
ing crops.
The bill of expense incurred is sub
mitted to the owner. If he pays it,
well and good; If not, the road SUI
pervisor presents the claim to the
board of county commissioners, who
shall order it paid, II found correct.
At the time Of payment, the county
treasurer enters the amount on the
tax rolls against the land in question
for the current year, and it is collect
ed with penalty and interest as other
taxes are collected.
1t is also provided that the road
supervisors shall destroy all noxious
weeds and prevent them from going
to seed in the highways of their re-
pective districts. For this work they
are paid in the same manner as for
other work on the public highways.
Bull Thistle an Exception.
Twenty dollars and costs is the
minimum fine for permitting noxious
weeds to ripen and 60 to seed. There
is one exception, namely, the bull
thistle, when on lands not used for
agricultural purposes outside of cities
and towns. But the bull thistle has
no right to existence on city property
and the owner of such property is
subject to fine for permitting it to
grow and ripen.
The law is applicable to all cities
and towns in the state, the marshal
or supervisors of streets taking the
place of road supervisors in the coun-
try. In town or city, the city council |
takes the place Of the county COM
for the country. In each |
case, both town and country, the
paid for the destruction of
weeds is entered on the tax rolls COW
ering the property concerned.