NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 199 
weeds in various places in the northern part of the state. These peren- 
nial weeds are very difficult to destroy, especially the Toad-flax. Another 
illustration is the common European Bindweed and the Cypress Spurge 
or Cemetery Weed. Of the annual class we have the Shoo-fly or Bladder 
Ketmia, which Mr. Dudley Stone, of North Liberty, thinks is one of the 
worst weeds he has upon his place. A weed of this kind is troublesome 
because it produces a large number of seeds and these seeds retain their 
vitality for a long time in the soil. We should therefore take into ac 
count this, as an element in the distribution of pernicious weeds, and 
whenever one of these graden plants begins to spread seriously efforts 
should be made to exterminate the weed. 
Railways. The railways are no doubt responsible for the scattering 
of a number of weeds, the seeds dropping from the cars in transit. I 
have also understood that in recent years the railways purchase the refuse 
material from the seed merchants in the large cities and sow it along 
the right-of-way of the railway for the purpose of holding the soil. In 
many cases where this has been done bad weeds have been introduced. 
It is particularly noticeable in this connection that Quack Grass may 
always be found in the majority of cases in counties where it occurs, near 
the elevator. No doubt when the railways transport the grain they often 
scatter Quack Grass. The common practice of most railroads of cutting 
their weeds in July is certainly an excellent one and certainly extermi- 
nates a large number of the annual weeds. However, this cleaning up 
should be done earlier in the season. 
Higlnvays. A rapid survey of the highways of the state w^ould lead 
one to say that the highv\^ays are an important feature in the distribution 
of weeds over the farms of Iowa. There is scarcely a mile of highway 
anywhere in the state but what contains nearly all of the weeds men- 
tioned in the circular sent out by the Department of Agriculture. Of 
course, the Canada Thistle would be omitted as this is not so very com- 
mon along our highways and you can nearly always find all of the other 
weeds except the Quack Grass, Jimson Weed, and Mallow or Butterprint. 
That the highway can be cleaned or freed of weeds, especially the 
annual type, I know. In northeastern Iowa in Allamakee and Winne- 
shiek counties they have made an effort to introduce clover, timothy, and 
blue grass to fill the places along the highways and here one finds little 
evidence of Cocklebur, Greater Ragweed. By cutting the w^eeds once be- 
fore the first of July and again in August and sowing the roadsides with 
clover, timothy, and blue grass, much can be done toward the eradication 
of these weeds. 
There is sufficient law on the statute book now, but apparently it is 
not enforced except in a few instances. 
One of the common features in the distribution of these weeds is per- 
haps the carrying of grain that contains the seeds of bad weeds. Thus I 
have seen scattered along the highway for several miles Quack Grass 
which came from an infected field. It should be made unlawful for any- 
one to transport this material from one farm to another. 
Rotation of Crops. No better way of exterminating weeds is known 
than by the rotation of crops, followed by grain culture. Everyone has 
observed, perhaps, that wliere the sod of a meadow is thoroughly pulver- 
