ARID AGRICULTURE. 



253 



more possible than it would be for a Shorthorn 

 cow to change to a Jersey. Wild oats do seem to 

 come very mysteriously sometimes, but they ac- 

 cumulate in the soil unnoticed until they get 

 serious enough to be a pest. Growing alfalfa, 

 rotation of crops and clean culture are the only 

 successful remedies. 



BIND WEED This is a wild or vine Buckwheat. It is one 



of the worst we-tern weeds in grain fields. Care 

 should be taken to plant seed which does not con- 

 tain this weed. The seeds are small, three-cor- 

 nered and black or dark colored. Clean culture 

 is t-he remedy. Usinir a weeder in the grain 

 field until the plants are a foot or more high will 

 kill most of the buckwheat. 



CANADA 



THISTLE 



The Canada thistle is a perennial thistle 

 which is one of the most persistent and difficult 

 weeds to kill. It has been introduced into some 

 parts of the arid region, but usually occurs in 

 small patches only. Where there are only small 

 spots of thistle, the suggestion has been made 

 that the hay and straw be stacked over them. 

 The plants may lie killed by digging out root and 

 branch. It is said that sprinkling with common 

 snlr solution, one-third barrel of salt to fifty-two 

 gallons of water, will kill it. This will probably 

 kill anything else that it is applied to as well; 

 but it will pay to stop the spread of these thistles, 

 even at sacrifice of the crop. The plants should 

 never be allowed to go to seed. 



