Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-04-19
THE BARBERRY UNDER THE BAN; READ
BEFORE YOU DESTROY YOUR HEDGE

berry special growing in many parts
Of the world, but there are practically
only four Of the varieties in cultiva-
ton in the wheat belt in this coun-
try" These are. with descriptions or
each, as follows:
Barberry ThunbergiiA dwarf vari-
ETY., a native of China and Japan, and
known also as the Japanese variety.
1t grows two or three feet in height
has thorny stems, green foliage OF
small leaves, and produces bright red
seed pods. This variety is by far the
most frequently planted in this sec
ton for hedges for which it Is specially
adapted or for groups of plants or
single specimens. 1t is not harborer
of the black rust spore.
| Burberry NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. dwarf
variety. 1t Is hardy in this latitude Is
often planted, but is easily distingu-
ished from the barberry thunbergii by
its foliage which is evergreen and lite
leaves that are very much like that OF
the holly. 1t is commonly known as
the holly -leaved barberry 1t is also
not harborer of the spores of black
rust.
| bdTDeTTy NulSdTlS- HIS Is Ouc VI
the medium growing varieties. If LEFT
untrimmed it's attains n height of from
five to eight feet in this latitude. 1ts
foliage is bright green and 1t is one
J Of two varieties known as the common
barberry vulgaris. 1t is readily dis
tinguished from the dwarf varieties
chiefly by its taller growth and flow
ers 1t is harborer Of black rust
spores and should be destroyed.
| Burberry Vulgaris Atropurpurea-
This is the second Of the tall growing
varieties that are quite common in this
Isection. 1t, like barberry vulgaris
grows to a height Of five to eight feet
| if not trimmed. 1t is distingushable
| from the dwarf varieties not only by its
foliage which in the spring is purpleish
turning to purple and remaining that
color thruout summer, but also by its
habit of growth which is more erect
and stalwart than the dwarf varieties
Both this variety, commonly called
purple barberry. and the barberry
vulgaris, bear fragrant flowers of a
golden yellow. that appear in May and
June, and both are thorny. 1t is a har-
borer of rust spores and should be de-
Stroyed.
Mr. Rubee continues: "These last
| two varieties are the ones that Gov
ernor Harding declares war on" He
gives additional illuminating informa-
ton on the subject by quoting from ar
American authority, Professor L. H
Bailey, of Cornell University, in his
Encyclopedia of American Horticulture
in which Professor Bailey says: 'lr
wheat growing districts, planting Of
barberis or barberry should be avoided
as it is the host Of the aecidium- stage
of puccinia graminis, fungus which
causes the wheat rust. Destroying the
barberry, however, will not check the
propagation of the fungus, as it is
able to grow and spread for years
without forming the aecidium- stage"
| Mr.. Rubee adds: But if, however, in
the opinion of Governor Harding anG
Professor Coulter (the latter of whom
in long article in the Chicago Tribune
garis to which Mr.. Rubee referred) the
barberry vulgaris and barberry vul-
garis purpurea are a menace to oul
wheat fields, we as patriotic Americans
should lose no time in complying with
the wishes Of our governor to remedy
the evil and evterminate the shplb.'
In explanation OF Professor Coulter.
article in the Tribune 1t might be
added, (regarding that portion in which
he says that the Minnesota commits.
sion of public safety, which has large
powers, has condemned all barberry
to be destroyed at once) that certain
species of barberry are native to Mime.
sofa and parts of North Dakota where
I they grow wild and are for that rea-
son an added menace.