The Mankato free press., 1922-06-16
WARFARE AGAINST
BARBERRY SLATED
JULY / Is DAT SET FOR 40.
TTvITY IN STATE
READY FOR BIG BATTLE
Many Interests Are To Take
Hand In Fight Against
Noxious Weed.

mon D6TDSTTN DUSn, SpICduSE VI
black stem rust, win b eopened
July by the department of agri-
culture.
Working under a federal appropri
alton of $500 and directed by l..
w. Melander, state leader Of bar
berry eradication. thirteen teams of
experts, the shock troops OF the
campaign against the grain farmers
worst enemy, VIII begin on a larg-
er scale than ever before their farm
o-farm survey of the state.
Aroused to the necessity Of dras-
tic action, active cooperation in the
work of the department Of agricul-
ture is being extended by the Amer
ican Farm Bureau Federation, the
state department of agriculture. the
state weed inspectors department,
several of the various agricultural
agencies and by railroads, banks,
milling and elevator companies, the
farm implement industry and busi-
ness generally. All these interests
are represented in the conference
for the prevention of grain rust, re-
Gently organized with headquarters
at MINNEAPOLIS.
Black Stem Rust
Black stem rust. which in the
northern part of the United States
is causd only by the common bar
berry bush, destroyed in Minnesota
alone in the four years, 1915 TO 1890
inclusive 24,k56, $50 bushels OF
wheat 9,729, 900 bushels of oats, g.
500 900 bushels of barley and 100000
bushels of rye, according to the
plant disease survey Of the bureau
of plant industry.
Detailed loss figures for 1921 are
not yet available, but a prelimary
estimate of the plant disease survey
places the loss in wheat alone IN
the Northern states az 22SOO ,Ooo
bushels. This is somewhat below
the average for the preceding four
years, which was 26.461, $50 bush :
els of wheat. The yearly average
loss for the same four years in the
four principal small grains was
44,257. $50 bushels.
Thirteen states are represented In
the conference for the prevention of
grain rust. They are: Michigan,
Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois,
Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota,
Wyoming and Colorado. ~. 4
conference by Governor j. A. o.
Preus, J. F. Reed, president of the
State Farm Bureau federation, Z.
II. Freeman dean of the College OF
fgricultnre, n. ]. Holmbesg, COM
Ezissiouer of agriculture, and +. l.
French. secretary of the State Farm
Bureau.
FEDERAL Appropriation, $3.50, 900
This years federal appropriation
or s250,000 is the largest amount
ever allowed by Congress for sin
gle activity OF the bureau OF plant
Industry of the department of Ag-
riculture II came as the result OF
tha demands of the farmers them
selves. EXPRESSED through the Amer
ican Farm Bureau Federation and
the antitrust conference. OF this
amount, S30.750 has been allotted
for use in Minnesota.
Mr.. Melander's headquarters are
at the State College Of Agriculture,
ST. Paul. from where the work OF
the federal agents will be directed
A team consists OF two men, who
20 from farm to farm in small
car, locating barberry bushes and
advising farmers of the necessity
of removing them. Later each farm
is revisited to make sure that the
farmers have dug out the bushes
by the roots.
all states affected now have laws
or orders prohibiting the growing oi
common barberry bushes. In Min
nesota a new statute requires own
ers of land where barberries are
found to dig up the bushes when
the offending growths are rointeo
out to them by state and county
ESoflmra m art NAV
result in the work being done by
the state and the cost charged bach
to the property.
Removal of the barberry bush Is
ACCOMPLISHED by digging out the
bush by its roots. II roots are al
lowed to remain sprouts, which are
especially susceptible to rust infec-
ton, will come up next year.
Difference In Barberry
The common barberry may be
distinguished ( rom the Japanese
barberry, which is harmless, by its
larger size and by its prickly edged
leaves. The Japanese barberry is
the ornamental shrub commonly
used for hedges. It has a smooth
edged leaf and should not be dis
turbed.
Preliminary surveys has beer
cred by the campaign, revealing
many more common barberries
than had been suspected. The last
report of DR.. r. e. Kempton of the
department Of agriculture, patholo-
gist in charge of ( he campaign
shows that in Minnesota 735, 5,535
fs-shels have been found. of which
az neS bushels are known to have
been removed. This years work VIII
cover as much new territory AS
possible and include also a check
on property land surveyed.
Although the campaign against
the barberry was started in 1918
rartly as war measure, lack oi
rrblic funds and lack of informa
ton on the part of farmers has
Jrade the work much slower than
necessary. The result is that ra.
wages of black stem rust have con
tfnued, although there has been nc
real ePidemic since 1915, when rust
took a tDll of almost 20000000c
bushels of grain in the United
States. In the meantime, the barber
nv is becoming more thoroughly. ac-
climated, with the result that It Is
spreading rapidly.
That Fungus Growth
Black stem rust is fungus
growth which is spread by means
Of spores, seeds of microscopic size
which travel readily through the all
After the cold of winter, rust spores
can take root only on the CONNER
barberry bush. The parasitic growth
which results on the leaves of the
bush gives off millions of spores
,vI,;,h an turn attack grains and