Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-12
war DECLARED
ON 1REACHERQUs
ENEM|EsAT HOME
European Barbe7ry, Which Acts
as Nurse for Black Rust,
Cootie of the Wheat,
Must Go.

One Of the rankest traitors to the
cause of freedom, and one Of the most
potent friends OF the kaiser and autoc-
racy in the middle west today is the
all, OF European barberry.
During most of the year IT IS
harmless, but for week or so it acts
d nurse for the eootie of the wheat,
that destructive parasite known as
black rust
Without the European barberry to
rive it aid and comfort the fungus
which produces hack rust would
have no place to breed and multiply
and It would, in the absence OF the
host plant. perish and die.
1t IS the fact that the European
barberry gives aid and comfort to the
enemy that makes it dangerous. Be-
cause il does entertain and nourish
/ The black rust, which gets in the wheat
and shrivcls the grain so that It IS not
ST to feed to chickens, the edict has
gone forth that il must be rooted out
and burned.
Destructive Pest.
President Wilson and the governors
4 ~ many states, including the cxccu-
tive Of Nebraska, have issued procla-
nations asking all patriotic citizens
fo make war on the shrub and de-
troy it wherever they find it growing.
III 1910 more than 0,0O0, 900 BUSH
els of wheat were destroyed BY the
3Iack rust, and of this Nebraska's i0oa
was 100000. Should such 4 disaster
6ccur again it would nullify all that
housewives and citizens have done in
Hoovcrizing on wheat during the last
/ (tw months. 1t would overcome the
advantage OF increased acreage ol
wheat in the spring wheat states, and
would probable be the deciding factor
! d the defeat Of the allies and the
cause 81 world democracy.
The fungus Of the black rust win'
{krss cr straw and grass stems. In
ne spring the spores mature and ars
NlCwn about BY the wind, often fol
ouR distances and in its progress i,
, aided by moro than so varieties ol
krasses. The spores lodge on the
(eaves Of the European barberry
where they breed and multiply. After
10 days they leave the host plan,
and seek the barley, wheat, rye and
oats, living off the elements OF plant
bod that 80 to produce the berry.
Driven From Parks.
The European ,barberrY to be de-
pfived of its evil influence as an ally
of the kaiser, and promoter OF junk.
erism, should be utterly destroyed
before the 18th Of May.
Miss Walker, special agent Of the
United' States Department Of Agri.
culture. is in Omaha, consulting with
city and school officials as to tho
best means Of eradicating the shrul
from Omaha and Douglas county.
Park Commissioner Hummei ha
1lready acted and. has warred on th'
ffeachcfous plant so that il has beef
driven from the Omaha parks. Mr.
iplayson, superintendent of build
ings and grounds of the Omaha
schools, has ordered all of the purple
and common barberfy bushes re-
moved from the school grounds.
"A specially trained group OF High
school students has been instructed
10 make 1 survey OF the city and tag
"a o. the shrubs found and request th,
owners to destroy them.
~ Description Of Bush.
The European or common purple
barberry grows to a height Of II fee
and III habit is open, and coarse. l
hhs thorns which have three to fiv
points, sometimes single thorns ar
found The leaves are large, wit
toothed edges, and are OF green an
purple color. The branches are gra
and eroovcd. 1t produces bright vel
low howerss which grow in cluster
Ike fruit, and natures red to purpi
berries, in clusters. some Of whic
hang on Ill winter.
J fou may not be able to shoulde
1 gun to fight the kaiser in tn
trenches in France, but you certainl
IAN fight this alien enemy in you
Sard or grounds here at home.
"A good job Of killing out the wee
1aeans more bread, not only for til
4oldiers "over there" but also for til
s 4o}ka at home