6 Department Circular 130, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. 
perennial with matted basal leaves somewhat resembling those of 
buckhorn, from the center of which arises an upright leafless shoot 
covered with short black hairs surmounted by a number of yellow 
flowers, each about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The 
flowers appear from early in June until late in September. The 
length of the stem varies from 2 to 24 inches, according to whether 
it has been grazed off or mown or allowed to grow undisturbed. As 
with both orange hawkweed and king-devil, the yellow hawkweed 
reproduces by seeds capable of being distributed’ by the wind. New 
plants are also formed on runners, in a manner similar to the king- 
devil, although the runners differ from those of orange hawkweed in 
bemg mainly below ground. 
ERADICATION.! 
Where the hawkweeds occur on poor pasture lands, it is sometimes 
questionable whether the expense of eradication is justifiable, par- 
ticularly since these weeds will frequently ‘‘run themselves out’’ in 
five to eight years. 
!t is often advisable to turn poor pasture land badly infested with 
hawkweeds into a farm wood lot, thereby deriving some revenue e from 
the timber and avoiding the expense of eradication. 
Where the land is eniice fertile to support a good stand of 
erass and it is desirakle to eradicate the hawkweed, the methods de- 
scribed below are applicable. 
DRY SALTING. 
Dry salt scattered broadcast on infested land will tend to lull the 
hawkweeds. It should be applied during the late fall at the rate of 
not less than 2 tons per acre. Dry salt scattered broadcast on the 
matted growth will not only help to kill the hawkweed by its physical 
action, but will in addition attract cattle, which in turn damage the 
weeds by trampling and nibbling at the flowers and young shoots. 
The use of salt is advisable on badly infected areas only. 
GRAZING. 
Cattle and sheep reject hawkweeds because of their bitter taste. 
In the case of some species of these weeds the covering of stiff hairg 
acts asa repellent to grazing animals. Pasturing with goats, however, 
will keep the weeds in check. 
HAND METHODS. 
In case the hawkweeds occur in scattered patches of small size, the | 
simplest mode of attack is to dig them out with a hoe, spade, spud, 
or mattock, preferably “llores the spring rains, when the ground 1s | 
soft. Plants so removed should be carried away and either burned — 
or placed in a refuse pile where they can do no harm. Care should be. 
1 The eradication and control methods herein suggested are based in part on field experimental work - 
performed in cooperation with the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station at Blacksburg, Va. 
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