The Rural Voice, 1981-04, Page 17of weeds
as well as the old ones
#8 highway. presumably coming front the boats and spread by
trucks going down the highway.
"But look," he explained,• "We haven't got rid of some of the
old weeds yet. Weeds like milkweed and thistles. And we
haven't a replacement for 245T yct."
Reg Dodson, Plant Products Division for the Canada
Department of Agriculture, based in London, said the Seed Act
is presently being revised, under the management of Dr. Yudi
Singh, Seed Section, Agriculture Canada.
As for graded seed, according to Mr. Dodson. it has strict
controls.
"Seed get blamed for things it's not responsible for- if the
weed wasn't there before- it's assumed it must have come in the
seed.
The only way you can stop weeds is by killing all the birds.
stopping the wind and not moving machinery," he added
"Velvet leaf, for example can move by itself or on machinery or
by the birds.
"It's not 'all of a sudden' weeds are there," Dodson
continued, "but they creep in by the edges. We can't prevent
weeds but we can control them with proper crop rotation and
sanitation.
"It doesn't really matter what 'list' the weeds arc on. they are
going to come anyway. One farmer was talking about the wild
oats which 'must have come on the seed.' But he had bought a
new tractor and new plow and he was ploughing deeper. Well,
he was turning up weeds that were Tying dormant- bringing them
up into the air and moisture."
Mr. Dodson said another farmer didn't have mustard until he
dug an 8-9 ft. pond and piled the dirt around the pond. The next
year. the edges were covered in mustard.
Art Lawson. associate ag. rep. of the OMAF office in
Stratford. noted some weed seed definitely comes in graded
seed. Velvet leaf is known to come in soybean and corn seed and
poison hemlock arrived in alfalfa seed. but probably on a low
enough rate to not drop the grade of seed.
"Nutsedge has a tendency to spread by water," he says, "It
can travel from farm to farm this way and tends to be in low lying
areas. Cocklebur tends to stick to things, and the same with
colt's foot. But I'm not so sure about Jerusalem artichoke and
Johnson grass. Proso-millet is thought to have conte in bird seed
and the birds sort of 'transplant it.'
"None of these weeds are on the noxious list and it's almost
too late for most of them." he added "You'd be condemning a lot
of farms. The main thing is for farmers to realize they can still
get these weeds. To keep their eye open for them. There are
ways of handling them. As for the Seed Act being revised,
it's more likely pertaining to other things such as seed quality.
"The main thing is you have to trust the people where you get
seed."
Don Pullen, ag. rep. for Huron explained most weeds are not
transferred with graded seed. at least not in any quantity. He,
also said Yudi Singh. who is revising the Seed Act, would
welcome any input pertaining to problem weeds. He can be
reached at the Seed Section. Agriculture Canada, Sir John
Carling Bldg.. 930 Carling Ave.. Ottawa. KIA 005.
Pullen also emphasized what was suggested earlier- crop
rotation and sanitation will go a long way in controlling weeds.
Yellow Bedstraw is quite common. particularly in drier
situations. Joe Gibson. weed inspector /or Huron
County has seen this weed growing along Highway N.
near Goderich.
Jimsonweed is found in waste ground; the entire plant
is poisonous.
THE RURAL VOICE(APRIL 1981 PG 15