Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1897 — They are Russian Thistles. [ARTICLE]

They are Russian Thistles.

Theodore Warne, who lives in Union township near Parr, brought to The Republican office a few days ago, a specimen of a strange weed which has lately made its appearance in his neighborhood, along the line of the Monon railroad. Some of it grows on his land and some on Judge Thompson’s. The weed is very bushy in its character, is about 2 feet high with more prickles then there.are spines on a hedge-hog. A saw branches of the weed were sent to Prof. Jas. Throop, the horticulturist of Purdue with the request that he “name it and take it’’ and the answer he sent back was as follows: “The weed which you sent me is the genuine Russian thistle. It is becoming pretty well spread throughout the northern part of the state and is getting to be one of our worst weed pests. The only remedy that I know of at the present time is to keep it cut down be-1 fore it matures its seed. These are | very abundant and as the weed ripens, break off, and are carried I by the wind wherever it goes. Very truly yours, J. Throop, Horticulturist. In view of this statement of Prof. Throop’s it is very important that lour farmers be on their guard against this , weed, to prevent, if possible its general spread over the county. There are not many here yet but if not •headed off at the outset, it will not be long before they will be found everywhere. The weed has very stnall leaves and a multitnde of branches. Grows [so bushy in fact, that in Dakota, : where it is very abundant, it acts , like a tumble-weed, after it has : ripened in the fall the wind breaks j it off near the ground? and it then rolls and tumbles before the wind, I and travels great distances. Any I of.our farmers wishing to see how ' the weed looks can see the specimen brought in by Mr. Warne, at this office.