Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-03-30
Jack by deep blowing. or by5 some
'ther system of reducing their vi

taltty., ~
Under favorable, conditions the SOW
thistle is easily eradicated. For. in.
stance, in 1917, north of Drayton, N.
OAK, 40 acres Of badly infested SOW
thistle land was completely cleaned
by rye. This land was not summer
fallowed, but the sow thistle IN 1915
gan to bloom, when II Mas moved and
the land left until the plants had
gained some Roadway again, and 1t
was then plowed. 1t. was narrowed
several times in the fall; and seeded
to rye, During the summer Of 1917
on the 40 acres sovved to rye, there
was not a handful Of sow thistle that
came into bloom, and on either side
OF. this, there was a solid mass Of sow
thistle. One treatment. completely
e~radicated the SOW thistle on this 40
acre piece. However twas doubt
less due to the very dry season, which
permitted the rye to grow to the ex-
clusion of the SOW Thistle, Under or
binary conditions such results might
not be expected. tS
Black Summer Fallow Most Effective.
Larger fields that are badly In
tested may be plowed shallow in the
spring. and continuous cultivation
practiced throughout the summer, or
the weeds may be allowed to come to
practically blooming stage, but care
must be taken that none are in bloom.
or the seed will remain in the ground
n grow the next year. In order to
avoid any seed. remaining in the
ground the plants should be. raked as
as they are wilted, and burned.
In this way all seed will be destroyed.
After the ground is perfectly clean
1t should be plowed three to four
inches deep, and then a, week or ten
days later the duck foot cultivator,
described on another page Of this
circular, used to run just as sdeepFsas
the pillow. and cut OFF every plant That
has started. " y.. y
The success of any method Of
eradication will depend upon the fact
that it is kept up continually. andathe
SOW thistle not allowed to get a start
after it has once been put under the
sround. No plant can survive any
great length of time without air, and
1t gets. air from the leaves which arc
formed above ground. If the ground
is kept absolutely black for orc year.
the saw thistle will be entirely killed
there Is no question about this.
In order to do this it may be neces-
sary to cultivate this ground every
week or ten days with the duck foot
c%ultivator. This cultivator, as will be
noticed from the illustration,>is pro-
'vided with sweeps which run under
the; ground. and they should run on
the plow sole just as deep as the pillow
ran. and care taken to I'VE every
bit of the ground so that no SOW
thistle is allowed to get above ground.
This treatment not only eradicates
the SOW thistle. but as a general thing.
under favorable conditions the yield
Of crops following such treatment.
will be more than doubled. The cost
pend on the wages, but should range
between $500 and $1,000 per acre.
While this is rather heavy, there evil
IDENTIFY is no cheaper or more effective
way of accomplishing the end desired.
A summary of the leading points in
a bulletin on the SOW thistle, pub
lished by the Manitoba agricultural
college, is as follows: -
Summary OF Leading Points.
The perennial SOW thistle Is the
worst weed that has been introduced
into Manitoba.
While a few farmers arc controlling
1t, most of them arc failing to do so.
1t Is much cheaper to- eradicate
the first few plants to he introduced
into any district than to suppress this
weed after 1t has become generally
distributed.
While some of the means by which
the sow thistle Is distributed. are be-
yond the control Of the farmer, others
are within his control. He should see
that thrcshing machines and stock
(bundlc) wagons arc cleaned, seed
grains and grasses free from weed
seeds. and should burn straw OF pack
ing material. of purchased articles, as
this may carry weed seeds. 49,.
The spots where threehing has been