Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-07-08
WEEDS CROWD OUT
WISCONSIN'S CROPS
Town Chairmen, Weed Commits
sioners and Public Must be
Ready to Turn Tide
Against Weeds

real danger in the enormous growth
and snread of noxious weeds. Cana
da thistles, morning glory and quack
grass and other dangerous groWths
threaten to smother the chief grain
crops of the state unless vigorous
efforts are made to extricate them
This is the substance of statement
sent out this week by Prof Stone
director of the division of seed and
weed control of the State Department
! Of Agriculture. Commissioner Nor
CORD, head of the department, said
Prof Stones warning could not be
too strongly emphasized. Two things
are Immediately necessary to stay the
i tide of weed growth; one is active
and persistent work on the part of
weed commissioners and the other is
an awakening of the public mind to
the danger to a point when the weed
commissioners will be strongly sup
ported in their efforts.
Dodder, a parasitic plant, is killing
clover in our great clover seed pro-
ducing sections, filling clover seed
with the minute dodder seeds and
spreading this dangerous weed wher-
ever the seed is shipped. Canada
| thistles, and morning glory in alsike
red clover and grain fields are like
wise being spread over the state, The
whole state will soon be weighed
vantage and oppression unless town
chairmen and weed commissioners en-
force weed laws without fear or favor
and unless the public stand behind
them and urge them on. Complete
eradication may never be accomplish
ed but they can be brought under
control within reasonable time by
effective work done each year.
Wisconsin has one of the best weed
laws in the union and since the state
department of agriculture at the Capt.
toll was given the supervision and
direction of the work in 1917 con-
structive policy of putting pressure
on the enforcement of this law has
gradually been reaching every COM
munity in the state.
Upon the town officers and weed
commissioners in the several town
ships rests the responsibility for the
thorough enforcement of the weed
laws They are clothed with ample
authority to enforce the law and &C
complish the work. The town chair
man, village president, or city mayor,
as the case may be is required by
law to appoint one or more weed
commissioners an dtO report to the
State Department of Agriculture
whether such commissioners faithA
fully perform their duties. The ap-
pointing officer who fails to appoint
at least one such weed commissioner
must forfeit not less than fifty or
more than one hundred dollars unless
he can show that he has exhausted
every possible source in his attempts
| to obtain one
The weed commissioner when ap-
pointed and qualified is given all
necessary authority for enforcing the
law. He must serve written notices
on the occupants or owners OF all
noxious weed infested lands in his
district. These notices should be serv-
| ed before weeds go to seed, but late
enough SO one cutting will keep them
from going to seed. II the occupants
| or owner fails to cut the weeds
within six days after receiving the
notice he is subject to fine of five
dollars day thereafter until the
weeds are cut If the owner or
occupant refuses to cut the weeds it
is the duty of the weed commission
er to do so and to have the town,
village or city treasurer, as the case
may be, enter the cost of so doing in
the tax roll to be paid as other taxes
on such property are paid.
The weed commissioner has author
ity to enter upon all lands where
such noxious weeds are growing and
cut the weeds without rendering
himself subject to action for trespass
or any other action resulting there
from provided he exercises reason
able care in the performance of his
duty. Having qualified as weed COM
missioner he is subject to a fine of
from $40 to $25 for each case of
neglect or refusal to perform his
duties. "A word to the wise is suffi-
Gent"