The Hope pioneer., 1922-10-26
BY o. A. STEVENS.

by U. A. STEVENS.
North Dakota Agricultural College.
"What is q weed" is an old question
to which various answers have been
given. Judging from the specimens
thing is likely to be suspected of being
q bad weed. Several Of those of the
past year were plants which scarcely
any writer would think Of placing upon
q weed list. On the other hand very
common ones frequently are received
been seen before in that locality.
There seems to be frequent tend
ency Of over-estimating the danger of
certain weeds on account Of some
conspicuous feature instead Of exam
lining them carefully for essential
characters. The goats beard has
attracted much attention during the
past two years. Its flowers and espec-
tally it's fruiting heads are conspicuous
Buffalo bur is another case. Both of
these plants have been in the state for
at least thirty years and their increase
is probably much over estimated. On
the other hand there is an all too gen.
eral tendency to neglect the important
weeds. Much too often they are
rgarded with Indifference, Or one in
dividual sees no use of fighting them
unless his neighbor does.
Out of some 275 received for indenti-
6cation at the Agricultural College in
the year ending July 1, about one-third
are included in the list of thirty in
Bulletin 162; one-sixth belong to the
seven others included ON account of
the frequency with which they are
confused with some of the others.
Thus one-half of all of them are illus
trated in the bulletin.
Four-tifths of the remainder were
included in the list of one hundred
and eighty. The remaining twenty,
three specimens belonged to twenty,
one different species, mostly native
plants which had no. been regarded as
of sufficiently Importance to include in
a list of weeds.
Eleven different species were sent
with the question as to whether they
were sow thistle. All except two had
yellow flowers but few were of much
Importance. During the past summer
dozens of specimens of annual SOW
thistle and prickly lettuce were re
ceived with the question whether they
were perennial SOW thistle. During
the same period only three or foul
plants of the perennial were received
Such condition does not necessarily
indicate the abundance of the two
kinds. Probably the perennial SOW
thistle was rare or absent from the
localities from which the other plants
were received. When once seen i
would be recognized and sending speci
mems would be unnecessary.
Most people seem to regard the bar
berry bush as one of the weeds
although it is not such in the mos
common sense Of the word. Durins
the year, seven different kinds O.
plants were suspected Of being it
Most of them had at least one poin
Of resemblance. Some bore rust
which was, however, Of an entirel!
different kind and had no connection
with ordinary wheat rust.
"How many kinds Of weeds arr
there in the state' is common ques
tion and one which is difficult tt
answer exactly. While there are abou
1000 Towering plants in North Dakota
about 200 of these are considered al
weeds. In list published sever;l
years ago, one hundred and eight.
were enumerated. A recent revision
of this list which has not been pub
lished omits several of these and add
others, bringing the number to tw'
hundred and twenty-four. To thi
might be added two more found fo
I the first time at Fargo the presen
season.
Frequent attempts to reduce this lis
to the most common or important sort
i gives about seventy-five specie. II
Bulletin 1G2 recently issued for tn
North Dakota Agricultural College tn
list was further reduced to abou
thirty. This process of selecting ou
the most important ones is difficult
The list as prepared by the author wa
submitted to others for suggestion
with the result that three of four wer
dropped out and some others inserted
IN many cases it is difficult to say tha
one particular weed is worse THAI
4 another because they cannot be com
+ pared readily. Weeds differ in thei
| habits, in their behavior and in differ
| eut SeaSOnS.