338 Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



stand will be found necessary. This must be done before the dodder has 

 produced seed. 



BUCKHORN (Plantago lanceolata L.). Buckhorn is without question 

 one of the most common and worst weeds of the alfalfa and clover fields. 

 Its seeds are commonly found in commercial alfalfa and clover seed, 

 which accounts for the wide dissemination of this weed. Buckhorn is a 

 perennial plant, introduced into this country from Europe. It produces 

 a large rosette of ribbed, lanceolate leaves, sometimes erect and some- 

 times lying close to the ground. In place of a stem it sends out long 

 slender stalks, at the top of which are borne the dense spikes of flowers, 

 and later the seeds. The root system of this weed is composed of a 

 short perennial rootstock with many fibrous roots. It propagates by 

 means of seed and also by the rootstock of the previous year. Buckhorn 

 flowers throughout the summer, and mature seed may be found by the 

 first part of July. 



Buckhorn is a persistent weed in clover meadows and alfalfa fields. 

 However, it is easily suppressed by the use of hoed crops and short ro- 

 tations. Since this pest is found commonly in commercial alfalfa and 

 clover seed, it is almost unnecessary to say that only first-quality seed 

 should be sown. If any buckhorn happens to come up with the young 

 crop it should be hand-pulled whenever practicable. 



CHICORY (Cichorium intybus L.) Chicory is a perennial plant closely 

 allied to endive, which is cultivated as a salad plant. The plant is usually 

 much branched, with deep roots, blue flowers, and a rosette of basal 

 leaves spreading on the ground. It is common along roadsides and in 

 waste places, and is becoming a common weed in alfalfa fields, where it 

 has been introduced by the agency of impure seed. 



Though a perennial, chicory is not difficult to destroy where rotation 

 of crops is practiced. The roots can be killed by repeated cultivation. 

 Merely cutting the plant off, however, does not destroy it. 



STAR THISTLE (Centaur ea solstitialis L.) This is an erect, branched 

 annual with yellow* flowers and cottony stem. It has been introduced 

 here with alfalfa seed, and threatens to become a bad weed in the seed- 

 producing districts. It is extremely objectionable on account of its spiny 

 heads. 



Star thistle is easily killed by cultivation, as it is only an annual weed. 

 Nevertheless, the labor of eradicating it can be forestalled by sowing 

 clean seed. 



The above weeds are the ones the seeds of which are most commonly 

 found in commercial alfalfa seed. There are few weeds that are very 

 noxious, but which are not of common occurrence in alfalfa in this part 

 of the country. These are Canada thistle, horse nettle, bindweed, quack 

 grass, Johnson grass, and dandelion. The fact that the seeds of these 

 weeds are easily separated from alfalfa seed explains why they are not 

 more common. (See "Weeds" and "Seeds," in index.) 



