THE SCOTVH'TJH.- 15 



.-tern and branches wingless : leaves lanceolate, pinnatifid and toothed, furnished 

 with abundant weak prickles; heads loosely cymose, less than an inch high, 

 iliu'dous; in male plant ovate-globular, and flowers (rose-purple) well exserted ; in 

 female oblong-campanulate and flowers less projecting; bracts of involucre all 

 impressed. sh"i't, and with very small weak prickly points; only abortive anthers 

 to the female flowers. Meadows, pastures, and waste grounds, from Newfoundland 

 through the Northern and Middle Atlantic States: a too common weed. (Nat. 

 from Eu.) 



' Frequent deep plowing will, in shallow, dry soils, nearly always 

 destroy the thistle, but in light, rich, moist soils this usually fails. 

 Wherever a dense sod can be formed seeding will be found the easiest 

 moans of destruction, though not so rapid as plowing, hoeing, salting, 

 or burning where these means are available. On rich bottom lands or 

 in ground filled with stumps, a grass sod will be found the best 

 destroyer. If the land is not rich enough to form a good sod manure it. 



"Mowing when the thistle is coming into bloom does not destroy the 

 plant, though it checks its growth. The application of kerosene or strong 

 orine to the roots, after cutting off the tops three or four inches below 

 the crown with a spade, is effective and practicable in small patches. 

 In stony ground the scythe, salt, and sheep will be found good destroy- 

 ing agents. If the thistles are in fence rows move the fence, and plow. 



"One object of thorough cultivation is that all weed seeds may 

 germinate and be destroyed at once and not lie dormant in the ground, 

 coming up a few at a time to reseed the field. Plowing and stirring the 

 soil when infested with Canada thistles, unless thoroughly done, only 

 multiplies them, so do not permit any leaves or underground stems to 

 remain, but burn the plants immediately after cutting. The cultivation 

 need not be deep. If all the thistles are kept cut off three inches below 

 the surface the underground portions will soon die of exhaustion." 



SCOTCH THISTLE. 



The Scotch thistle (0 nor pud um acanthium), or Cotton thistle, has not 

 yet made its appearance as a weed in California, and it is not nearly 

 so much to be feared as either the Russian thistle or the Canada thistle. 

 It is well, however, to take precautions against its introduction, for 

 while it is not a serious pest in its native land, the changed conditions 

 of California might also change its character. It has already obtained 

 a permanent foothold in some parts of the East, but does not rank as 

 a weed of the first class. It is easily kept in check by vigorous culti- 

 vation and by cutting down the plants close to the ground before 

 blossoming. 



