61 



NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE AND CONTROL OF 

 THREES NOXIOUS WEEDS 



By. P. I. Bryce, Macdonald College. 



The future losses to the Quebec farmer from noxious weeds will be 

 governed in large measure by the purity of the commercial seeds he 

 buys. From its relation to this problem of the marketing of clean seed, a 

 reierence may be made to the operation of the "Seed Control Act of 

 Canada, 1911." 



The report of the Dominion Seed Commissioner for the years 1905- 

 1911, leceniiy issued, shows that there has been a marked improvement 

 of quality in the seed grain sold in Quebec. Most dealers have taken 

 pains, in accordance with the "Seed Control Act," to obtain seed free 

 from weeds. No seedsmen care to keep impure stock marked, say, "This 

 seed contains Canada Thistle, Red-Root, Pigweed and Russian Thistle." 

 The law insists on such labelling of impure seed, and the dealers prefer to 

 purchase and retail only perfectly w^eed-clean seed, and to charge more for 

 such inspected seed. 



The British and Home Market for clean seed has shown a marked 

 increase, directly due to the passage of the "Seed Control Act." 



Impure seed is sold less and less ti the Canadian, but there is, unfor- 

 tunately, a good market as yet in the United States, as shown iDy the 

 table, for inferior qualities. 



Price paid for clover seed exported 191 1. 



In Great Britain $9.02 



In U. S. A 7-57 



>i.45 



The benefit from the increased value of farm seeds marketed should 

 and will accrue to the Quebec farmer if he keeps down weeds by clean cul- 

 tivation, proper rotation and the use of pure seed. On the other hand, im- 

 less the average farmer takes these forward steps in crop improvement, 

 his products will sell at lower ptrices , his land will give smaller yields, 

 and his soil become sooner or later impoverished and contaminated by 

 noxious weeds and the parasites they harbor. 



The careless agriculturist will find, too, that is costs more to grow, 

 harvest and prepare his seed crops for market, and the great Quebec 

 crop, hay, will not maintain its value. Such losses, now bemg met, are 

 due to the increased bill for cultivation, for labor, and for greater wear 

 and tear on harvesting machinery. Weedy land means more fallow land, 

 and in this province fallows should be unnecessary. 



