304 
THE CULTIVATOR 
In compliance with the suggestion of Dr. Smith, we 
aere give a cut of a Canada thistle. It was taken from a 
plant growing somewhat by itself, and has many more 
branches than are found on those which stand near to¬ 
gether. When this plant has obtained full possession of 
a piece of ground, it grows very thickly, running up in 
a slender stalk, with only a few lateral branches, and a 
few blossoms at the top. Unlike every other descrip¬ 
tion of thistle, the root of this variety is perennial. Al¬ 
most the smallest quantity of the root possesses the pow¬ 
er of reproduction—the roots run a great distance, both 
downwardly and horizontally, which makes its eradica¬ 
tion very difficult. A few days ago we saw some grow¬ 
ing finely which had sprung from roots that were cut off 
at least two feet from the surface of the ground, where 
some workmen were grading a street. The best way to 
kill them is by mowing when they are in bloom. This 
is often quite effectual, but if they start afterwards, they 
should be cut again the same season. In the specimen 
from which our cut was taken, not much of the root was 
obtained, in consequence of the hardness of the ground. 
Its lateral roots are very numerous, and of the size of a 
goose-quill. Mr. Smith, says: 
I hope the farmers of Maryland, and of the middle and 
southern States generallj r , will keep a good lookout for 
this terrible pest. They may be assured that they never 
have had an evil of one-tenth part the magnitude of this 
when it once becomes located upon their land. Loudon 
in the Encyclopedia of Agriculture, thus speaks of it: 
t( Cnicus arvensis, (the Canada thistle,) is well known as 
one of the most troublesome weeds in arable land. It 
is never found, however, in very sandy, gravely or peaty 
soils, (in England,) but generally in such as are loamy 
and dry. An instance is given in the Farmer's Maga¬ 
zine, of the descending roots of this plant having been 
dug out of a quarry nineteen feet long ; nor is it less re¬ 
markable for its horizontal roots. Mr. Curtis planted 
about two inches of a root in his garden in April, and by 
November following, it had thrown out under ground 
stolones (creeping shoots from roots,) on every side, 
some of these eight feet long; some of which had thrown 
up leaves five feet from the original root. The whole 
together when dug up and washed, weighed four pounds. 
In the spring following, it again made its appearance, on 
or about where the small piece was originally planted. 
There were between fifty and sixty young plants, which 
must have sprung from fragments of the roots that had 
eluded the gardener’s search, though he was particular¬ 
ly careful in extracting them. From these facts it may 
readily be conceived how difficult it is to eradicate this 
weed from arable land. A naked fallow, with frequent 
and deep plowing, will not accomplish it, unless the sea¬ 
son is more than usually dry. Laying land down to 
grass, keeping it in that state seven or eight years, and 
during the whole time pulling up every shoot as soon as 
it appears, is found fully more effectual than a naked fal¬ 
low. But the plant is so common by road sides, and 
seeds so abundantly that it is hardly possible to effect its 
extermination. In common field lands and others indif¬ 
ferently cultivated, it often forms the larger half of the 
produce, and formerly used to be pulled up when begin¬ 
ning to come into flower, and given as food to horses 
and cows. Those who pull this weed require to be fur¬ 
nished with strong gloves or thistle pincers.” I have 
made this extract not for the information of the northern 
readers of the Cultivator, nor any others who have the 
misfortune of being acquainted with the pest from their 
own experience; nor is this article written for those; un¬ 
fortunately they know enough about it already; but my 
object is to put such information in the possession of the 
farmers of those sections of our country not yet cursed 
with this thistle, as will enable them to know the extent 
of the evil if it should ever come upon them, and that 
they may be prepared to prevent it. Let them be fore¬ 
warned, and consequently forearmed. The Canada this¬ 
tle will undoubtedly be among us (in the middle and 
southern States,) before long. It is indeed, even now in 
Delaware, and very likely indeed in Maryland, and pos¬ 
sibly even further south and further west, in single plants 
here and there. If so, the work of extermination should 
be at once commenced. Every plant and vestige of root 
should be taken up and burnt. It will not do to throw 
them over the fence into the road or into the cow-yard, 
or any where else; fire alone will destroy the roots and 
seeds. A gentleman, just returned from the northern 
part of New-York, has kindly presented me with a spe¬ 
cimen of the thistle, and he has left another at the office 
of the American Farmer. The object is to keep these 
specimens for exhibition to all farmers, that they may be 
enabled to know it when they see it on their land. It is 
sincerely hoped that we may be able to arrest the pro¬ 
gress of the pest before it shall have taken possession of 
our fields in this region; but it will require the united 
and hearty co-operation of all farmers. Each farmer 
must watch his own land and look for it carefully; he 
must keep a good look out for it on his neighbor’s lands, 
and on the road side. Let him never pass by a plant of 
it any where, but secure its destruction. The destruction 
of a single plant this season, will prevent the growth of 
some thousands next year. Its seeds are so numerous, so 
light and so provided with a feathery pappus, that a sin¬ 
gle plant would seed the grounds for miles around, the 
wind blowing them in every direction. I hope I shall 
not be considered as an alarmist without cause. I assure 
all that may question the propriety of this warning no¬ 
tice, that the evil is not exaggerated; my fingers even 
now seem to smart with the stings received when a boy 
in the north, from pulling Canada thistles; nor is the evil 
as far off, nor the time of its coming, as distant as may 
be supposed. It is in Delaware now, to a small extent, 
it is true, and it will be among us, further south, speedi¬ 
ly. And as to the earnestness with which I recommend 
its being watched and taken hold of in time, let us con¬ 
sider, that if our predecessors had adopted the measures 
now recommended towards this thistle, we should not 
now have had our fields overrun with Richardson's pink, 
(the ox-eye daisy,) wild carrot, cheat, garlic, ripple,am 
many other pests; none of which, however, in exten 
and inveteracy, compare with the evils inflicted by thf 
Canada Thistle. Gideon B. Smith. 
The rot in the potatoe is extending over all this re 
gion. 
