Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-08-23
A SERIOUS WEED
ENTERS COUNTY

be q oui Wy VI bhS WCCd oliQallVit
of Sheridan county conducted recently
by County Agent E. G. Ferguson, it
has been found that sow thistle is
scattered in patches throughout the
entire county. Especially along the
500 and Great Northern Railway
| lines is this weed found.
The sow thistle is the worst weed
known in the northern part of the
| United States and Canada. The loss
| caused by this weed in the wheat
| growing sections is much greater
than that caused by quack grass OF
| Canada thistle. Those who have
passed through northern Minnesota
| and North Dakota in the past ten
[ years have realized what a serious
| pest this weed has become in those
sections. Many farms that produced
large yields of wheat in what is
known as the dread basket of the
world" have been abandoned be-
cause the farmers could not combat
the SOW thistle. They have made
their appearance in Sheridan county
within the last three years, but as
yet are confined to small areas, prin-
cipally along the railroad lines. How
ever, a few patches have been found
growing considerable distance from
the railroads. 1t is the duty of every
citizen of Sheridan County to do ev-
erything possible to bring about the
complete eradication of this weed
The officers of the Great Northern
and 500 Railroad companies have
consented to do everything possible
to eradicate the pest along THEN
lines. Every section foreman is fam.
liar with this weed and anyone find.
ing weeds that htey think to be SOW
thistle can very easily have it iden'
tilted by either sending it to the
county extension office or asking the
section foreman in the town closest tt
their farm.
How to Recognize the Pest
The plants are from one to five
feet tall, u~nbranched except near the
top, where there are several slender
branches each bearing n or more
flowers. The juice of the plant il
milky. The leaves are mostly fount
on the lower half of the stalk ant
are from four to twelve inches long
and resemble a dandelion of wild let
tuce to a great extent.
The flower heads are from al
inch to an inch and a half across
rich yellow in color, much resembling
a dandelion flower. The plant hal
underground ~rootstocks, bearing buds
each bud being capable Of producing
a new plant. The roots live owe
from year to year, thus making thu
plant a distinct perennial. Thu
seeds are rich reddish brown in col
or, strongly ribbed l~engthwise an,
slightly ribbed crosswise; slender
not more than an eighth of an incl
long. Attached to each seed is
tuft of white silky hair which aid
in the distribution. Sow thistle come
into bloom in the latter part of Jun
and may be in the flower stage unit
the middle of August. Seeds matur
in a week or ten days after the flow
ers begin to'open.
Control Methods
Very little has been accomplishe
in the control of the SOW thistle wher
it has gained a foot hold in fields, bu
as the situation is in Sheridan coun
ty for the present where the weed j
confined to rather small patches tn
best method of control is to cut an
burn the stocks. Then cover tn
patch about three feet deep wit
straw or manure which will smothe
out the patch. If it is impossible t
smother them out in this manner
salt may be applied to the are
where the SOW thistle is growing.
would be advisable to cover the pate
at least one-half inch deep. The ar
ca where the salt is applied will b
, poisoned for several years, but it
: more advisable to lose the groun
c from this small area than have tn
l sow thistle scattered throughout tn
county. Every resident of the cour
ty who finds a patch of SOW thistl
should notify the owner at once an
if anyone notices these weeds grow