Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-07-25
THE HAWkWEEDS
Orange Hawkweed and King Devil Weed

Orono. Me, July 24.-(SpeciaD The
following has been issued from the
3, Maine agricultural experiment station
at the University of Maine, Charles D.
Woods director:
Both the Orange Hawkweed and the
King Devil Weed are natives of Europe
and were brought into this country as
ornamental plants for flowers. They
were quite extensively advertised by
seedmen as desirable ornamental plants
and as such the seed has been on sale
in Maine within five years. Both of
these obnoxious plants were first re-
ported by the Maine Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station in 1896. While both
plants are now, unfortunately, scat
tered over the entire State, and hence
are too familiar to most farmers, occa-
slonally specimens are received by the
Station for identification. For this
reason the following concise descrip-
tons of the plants are. given.
Orange Hawkweed has simple,
erect. nearly leaf1ess stem, one or two
feet high. This is clothed with hairs.
Those at the top of the stem are black
a. the base. The leaves are mostly at
the roots. They are oblong -lanceolate,
toothed hairy on both sides and with
out petiole. The conspicuous heads
Of orange colored flowers are in a fiat
topped cluster at the end of the stem
The heads are composed Of numerous
small orange colored flowers, each one
OF winch produces al its base a small
dark brown, ten ribbed seed-like fruit,
/ n irfS 11-I,, H. ,~l;I
top.
The King Devil Weed is Of more Wig
orous habit than its relative. producing
stems two feet or more high, and from
one to or from the same root The
leaves are ianceolate with winged petit
oles. slightly wavy margins. pale green
both sides, and covered with scattering
long. white hairs. The radical leaves
form dense mat on the ground, killing
out other vegetation. There are or
smaller. narrower leaves on the lower
half of the stem. The flower clusters
are terminal and consist Of to "a
yellow heads about one-half inch long
The difference in color of flowers as
compared with Orange Hawkweed is
most noticeable character. The heads.
also. are smaller and more numerous
than in the Orange Hawkweed
These plants are both admirably
adapted to take possession Of the earth.
They are perennial plants. They spread
by root stalks as witchgrass does. They
spread by runners as the strawberry
does. They produce seed Of great vi
tality and abundance. Even flower
heads gathered when in first bloom and
allowed to dry a few days will bear
seeds that will terminate freely.
Both plants are our worst weeds and
are without one redeeming feature,
They kill all Of the grass in their vi
cinity with their dense mat of leaves
and are themselves Of no use as hay.
The only certain remedy for them Is
clean culture with some hoed crop. BY
this means, however, they may readily
be held in check. The early and fire.
quent cutting Of infested patches Of
grass may prevent the formation Of
seed. but will have no effect upon the
formation Of runners and stolons.
Numerous attempts have been made
to destroy these weeds by applications
Of salt, kerosene, etc. All experience
at the Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station, however, but emphasizes the
fact that clean culture is the only GER
tain method Of determination. The tops
can be killed but the roots persist and
the plants continue their advance by
means Of the rootstalks.
A few years ago when these pests
were not abundant anywhere in the
State and large areas were entirely