74 



A number of plants were dug and a study was made of the 

 root system. The massed, bunched, above-ground growth is 

 explained by the thick, fleshy, creeping roots, which extend in 

 all directions and from which shoots arise at frequent intervals. 

 The roots grow at a depth of from an inch to a foot or more. 

 The matted, creeping, perennial root system suggests that the 

 field cress is a potentially dangerous plant, since many of our 

 worst weeds are difficult to eradicate on account of similar 

 root systems. Examples of noxious weeds of this character 

 are the Canada thistle and wild morning glory. 



According to Mr. Lloyd Taylor, proprietor of Borderland 

 Farm, the field cress was introduced upon his farm about 1910 

 by means of impure grass seed. At first the plant occured 

 merely as a small patch which did not spread to any extent 

 for a number of years. Care was exercised to mow the plant 

 each season before seeds were formed, but the field cress spread 

 gradually, evidently by means of the creeping roots. During 

 recent years it has spread at an alarming rate until at the present 

 time there is a total area of about seven acres of infestation, 

 which is scattered over a considerably larger area on the farm. 

 Borderland Farm is located on the boundary line between 

 New York and New Jersey, consequently the infested area, 

 though small, occurs in two states. The plant appears to have 

 little preference as to soil, seeming to thrive equally well on 

 wet or dr>^ loam and on sandy soil, clay and gravel. 



A Suggested Solution. 



The Austrian field cress seems to be a new weed problem 

 in the United States, since no report could be found of its oc- 

 currence as a weed in America. Futhermore, at present it is 

 extremely limited in range, being apparently restricted to 

 approximately six or seven acres of infestation occuring upon 

 a single farm. In view of these facts there seems to be an 

 excellent opportunity to extirpate a potentially dangerous weed 

 at a comparatively small cost. One method by which this 

 can be done is to station a man upon the infested area during 

 the growing season for two years or more. It should be his 

 sole duty to keep the green growth from developing, thereby 

 starving the roots. It is possible to eradicate weeds possessing 

 deep running roots or rootstocks by keeping the green tissue 



