30 



FARMERS' REGISTER— CANADA THISTLES. 



their lands; and it is tlierelbre, in a measure, in- 

 cumbent on tliem to conmiunicate 'to each other 

 whatever methods they liave taken lor that pur- 

 pose, and particularly such as have had the de- 

 sired effect. 



I have no expectation that this tliistlc is to he 

 totally and entirely eradicated, and banished from 

 the country, as it is a perennial plant, and is to be 

 found on the road sides, in woods, and in all unoc- 

 cupied lands, (at least in this vicinity.) All that 

 can be done with such, if near at hand, is to cut 

 them off and prevent their seeding. But being 

 possessed of another manner of propagating them- 

 selves, more sure and certain, by their side or ho- 

 rizontal roots, which the cutting of the tops of the 

 - plant does not effect or check; they thereibre must^ 

 be permitted to remain, in such places, by a sort of 

 compromise, that they are to be prevented from 

 scattering their seeds on to our plough fields, from 

 which I am confident they may be expelled, and 

 after which, easily kept out; any further than this 

 I shall not attempt doing or advise others to do. 



Some enactments of the legislature, as recom- 

 * mended in the Farmer, would undoubtedly be of 

 use. Such as obliging the owners "of land (at 

 least such as is under improvement,) to cut them 

 at the proper time — imposing a penalty for neglect 

 — and making it the duty of overseers of high- 

 ways to have this done on the margin of roads. 

 It would likewise have the effect of calling the 

 public attention to the thing, and spread the alarm. 



In articles of this sort, intended to guide the 

 operations of others, unless one goes somewhat 

 into detail, the object is in a measure lost; for 

 those (if any there should be) who may be in- 

 duced to adopt the method reconmiended, will 

 have a wish to know all the particulars of the 

 process belbre they commence. I shall therefore 

 he compelled to make this of greater length than 

 S supposed at first setting out would be necessary. 

 What is here stated, however, is all from my own 

 knowledge; nothing is given on hearsay. 



When I purchased The farm which I now oc- 

 cupy, about thirty years ago, excepting some mea- 

 dow lands, near a river, and some other small 

 pieces, there were little or no improvements on it; 

 being thrown out to commons, and mostly covered 

 witli^small sapling wood and bushes — or as my 

 Dutch neighbors expressed it, "it had run out to 

 6ifsA." In open spots in this bush, the Canada 

 thistle was si)rinkled pretty liberally; and alter 

 clearing and ploughing they began to spread to 

 an alarming extent, and threatened to overrun the 

 whole premises. This first led me (but not in 

 time by many j^ears) to adopt some method more 

 effectual than cutting off the tops to stop their 

 progress. 



It is well known to all farmers as well as bota- 

 nists, that the roots of no tree or plant, Avhether 

 annual, biennial, or perennial, can long survive, if 

 prevented from vegetating, and coming up to the 

 light of day. My theory was based on this prin- 

 ciple. I commenced o])erations about eight years 

 ago, on some small patches in a field planted with 

 corn, Hs soon as any thistles appeared afier plant- 

 ing, cutting them oft' twice a week at first; and 

 was very particular never to have it neglected. 

 It would take but a few moments to go over a 

 patch two or three rods square, whh a hoe; at the 

 same time being very careful to leave none: and 

 to be sure of this I generally went over the ground, 



row by row, a second time. The deeper they are 

 cut otf with the corner of the hoe, the longer time 

 of course it will require the new shoots to reach 

 the surliice again. I followed them up in this way, 

 and about the middle of August tliey began to 

 come up thin and scattering, and appeared of a 

 sickly, yellowish hue. This was encouraging, 

 and we continued the operation, (though I tound 

 it was not necessary to look to them quite as often 

 as at first,) to about the first of October, or until 

 no more appeared, and none have since shown 

 themselves on these spots. 



By digging down to the main roots in August 

 or September, they were found in a state of dcca)", 

 being of a blackish color. The result of this first 

 attempt, is already given; but I will give some- 

 thing more of the details of the operation. That 

 there should be no ditiiculty in finding the several 

 patches when the corn had attained its full height, 

 I placed high poles at each spot so that they could 

 be seen over the tops of the corn, and kept a hoe 

 on the ground to be ready at hand whenever I 

 happened, in walking over my premises, to take 

 them in my way, and. cut them oft' if any were to 

 be seen. In this way, but little time was spent; 

 in fact none worth noticing. And as early as the 

 first of October, as before observed, they were 

 completely conquered. I ascribe the early season 

 at which these patches were subdued, to their be- 

 ing allowed no breathing spell, and no omission 

 being made through the season of operation, of 

 cutting them oft' as fast as they appeared. 



I have sometimes in lieu of, or rather for the 

 want of a hoe, used a piece of hard wood, flat- 

 tened to two or three inches wide at one end, and 

 sharpened; or what is still better, a piece of iron 

 or steel, like a chisel, fastened to the end of a stick 

 or walking cane. It is proper to have some kind 

 of tool in hand, or at the spot, otherwise some 

 might escape, when one was accidentally passing 

 near them. 



Although the actual labor and time spent to de- 

 stroy thistles in this way, is but trifling, at least in 

 small patches; stiO it requires considerable patience 

 and much diligence, that the thing may never on 

 any account be neglected during the season of 

 their growth; and I would caution all such as may 

 have an inclination to tiy the experiment, that un- 

 less they are tiUly determined to persevere, and 

 have full confidence that they can do it for at least 

 four months, not to attempt it; because by any ne- 

 glect during the season, the previous time spent, 

 is in part lost; as by allowing the plants a breath- 

 ing spell in the sun and air, new life and vigor ia 

 communicated to the roots, which is the thing in^ 

 tended to be destroyed. 



As an evidence of this, in the season of 1828, 1 

 undertook to kill the thistles on a field of about 

 fifteen acres planted with corn; and on which 

 there were nearly twenty patches. Having placed 

 the poles as before, I began cutting them as soon 

 as any appeared after planting. They were fol- 

 io vvecl up without any neglect, and as last as they 

 appeared, until about the 20th of August, when 

 they appeared nearly subdued, or in a fair Avay for 

 it, beginning to come up scattering and yellow. 

 At this time I was called away on a journey, and 

 was absent nearly lour weeks, leaving strict in- 

 junctions on my men not to neglect the thistles in 

 my absence. How far they attended to it, I can- 

 not say, for immediately on my return, I Wt\? 



