The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-10-28
The Nations Weed Pest

Weeds are an ever increasing banc in the nations
agriculture. They are scattered plant pests all over the
land. They cost the farmers Of the United States prob
ably a billion dollars loss annually.
The northwest has been struggling to reduce this plant
plague with varying success and failure. Weeds have
been the cause Of heavy dockagc losses to the northwest
grain growers. and North Dakota probably has SUI
fercd more than its share of their damage. The Greater
North Dakota association put on a special campaign to
reduce this loss to the farmers OF the state. but dock
age due to the wild and SO far useless plants persists.
The tumblcwced now. as in other falls, is a familiar
sight everywhere, rolling In windrows and lining wire
fences out along the railroad lines. to pcnalzc the state
with its III fame.
Over In Iowa. too. weeds arc a pest, closely fa-mcd
as that portion Of the corn belt is. They have been
me-, ing a study Of the situation at Ames. seat Of the Iowa
agricultural college, and it has been discovered that
three tidal waves of weed infection are sweeping over
the Hawkeyc state. One migration is spreading from
the south northward. another is travelling from the north
southwark and a third Is advancing from the west to
the cast.
Horse ncttle and shoofly, a troublesome Texas weed
arc migrating n%orthward. Canada thistle. quack grass
and SOW thisues arc pushing southwark, while sunflowcr.
buffalo burr and marsh elder are travelling eastward.
III time marsh elder is expected to be common in all
parts OF the state.
In the Atlantic coast east. weeds arc gaining ground
everywhere. This is due to the decline Of agriculture as
industry lures the rural population into tho manufacture
ing towns. Farmers who lack the aid Of labor are help
less to combat the spread Of tho pests and they let the
weeds to their own sweet will. except as the ordinary
tillage operations keep them down. Many of the Pennsyl-
vania small farms have sprung up with Wild parsnips as
a prevalent and poisonous weed is designated there.
Poison Ivy is beginning to trail the fences. The formerly
scientifically titled land is drifting back to a wild state.
The situation is such that the east may have to take
a page out Of the northwest;s book and resort to summer
following to check the evil or eradicate it, or to use sheep
to Craze down the non-poisonous weeds. So far the
incentive has been lacking. An older generation peo-
pies many of the farms and can no longer continue
the arduous labor Of tilling them. while the younger
generation prefers to ride back and forth in its autos be-
tween the industrial towns and the rural villages and
farms and make its living at regular wages in the shops.
There will have to be an economic shift before eastern
agriculture can again recover the prestige it had up
TO about tho time when the automobile became such a
factor IN life. Until then these dcrclict farms will con-
tinue to produce their crops of weeds and swell the ma
tional loss due to these plant pests.
Time flies, and BARRIERS are chirotonsors, undertakers
are morticians. wiremen are electrologists and trusts aa>
mergers.