Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-07-28
URGES CONTROL
OF WEED PEST
COUNTY AGENT IRVING SAYS THk
CANADIAN THISTLE is MENACE
In BOUNDARY COUNTY
FARMERS MEETING SATURDAY
VIII Perfect Plans for County Farm
Bureau Organization.

County Agent r. N. Irving announces
that meeting of the farmers resid-
ing in the vicinity of Bonners Ferry
will be held at the county courthouse
on Saturday, July 80, at 100 p. M
for the purpose of completing the farm
bureau organization.
During the past two weeks MIR. Irv-
ing has been meeting the farmers In
various parts of the county, getting
acquainted and preparing for farm
bureau organization work. He be-
lieves that the people of this county
should take steps at once towards the
eradication of weeds and in this con-
nection had the following to say to
the Herald yesterday
while driving over Boundary coun-
ty have noticed large number of
noxious weed pests which il allowed
to seed and grow unmolested will
soon be a real menace to the county
and to the state.
I'm order to rid ourselves of these
pests we must begin to work on them
Immediately. There is still time this
summer and fall to do considerable
damage to the weeds which would
otherwise go to seed and thus scat
ter over large areas and require a lot
OF extra work next year and in the
years to come. 1t has been very
truthfully said that a stitch in time
saves nine"
"The weed which is the worst is the
Canadian thistle; others are quack
grass wild morning glory, mustard
and the bull thistle. To check the
growth and spread of these weeds
they should be cut before they go tn
seed this summer and fall and burned
when they become dry. Next year
control measures may be taken to per-
manently eradicate these weeds. .
'The bull thistle and the mustarI
are annual plants. In order to stop
the spread of these weeds requires
the prevention of their going to seed,
as this is the only way in which they
are propagated. The morning glory,
uuack grass and the Canadian thistle
are Ierennials and grow from year to
year from their roots as well as from
;ht seeds which are spread broadcast
over tie country. One seed of the
Canadian thistle is known to have pro-
duced q patch of thistles several acres
~ extent. This is accomplished ny
tile underground root system which
these plants have. The underground
lootstalks have buds at varying In
ter.als, which are capable of prod1c-
lhg new plants. Under proper soil
conditions there is no limit to which
these rootstalks will grow. This also
accounts for Canadian thistles usually
being found in dense patches. as the
rootstalks cross and recross each
other When the stalk of the Cana
dian thistle is cut off, new buds start
growing from the underground parts
and in a few days new plants will ap-
pear to the great encouragement of
the person trying to exterminate the
thistle. If these plants are cultivated
: in any way such as plowing discing
or narrowing, part of the rootstalk
: bearing a bud may be carried to an
other part of the field and transplanted
thus starting new patch. Therefore.
if you should plow or harrow patch
, of Canadian thistles you should clean
/, your machinery thoroughly before go
ing to another part of the field.
THE Canadian thistle may be eradi-
Gated by one of the following methods :;
! first, exposure of the roots; second,
Z starvation; third. smothering; fourth.
C06ulCal dCIlOU. w mere IL Is pOSSlDl6
to flood the ground for six weeks con-
tinuously, they may be killed in this
way. The use of chemicals is the
e surest way and next year steps will
4 be taken to eradicate the weeds by
e this method. This fall, due to the fac
= that we have no chemicals on hand
: to successfully combat this weed, we
: will only be able to cut them off above
: the ground and prevent them going to
: seed. Then next year there will not
S be so many patches to fight as there
e would be if all the thistles in the
f county were allowed to go to seed.
: "If everyone will take a little in
n terest in the eradication of these pests
e and at the same time expend little
+ effort with his moving machine or
o cythe on his farm and on the roads
S adjoining his farm it will be one steT
y towards the controlling of these pests.