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Show COCEEBUR IS NOXIOUS ANNUAL Description Cocklebur is an annual weed repruajcing; by seeds only. It has he?'- ('rclared noxious because be-cause it is injurious to livestock in several ways. The young plants and burs are poisonous to livestock. Mature burs cause injury to livestock such as horses and cattlj by sticking in their tail and coat, causing great irritation. The burs are so difficult to remove from the wool of sheep that there is always al-ways a dockage on infested fleeces. - Cocklebur usually grows quite I tall, often three' or four feet. It has a simple taproot and a rough, spiny stem. The flowers are small and rather inconspicuous, inconspic-uous, with the female flowers developing into the burs. These are oval and pointed, about Vz-inch Vz-inch Ions and covered with lon stoui prickles which are cuiVeo. at the tips. Thi, makes them difficult to remove from ha'r o.. wool. Occurrence Cocklebur was introduced from Europe and is widespread j in this country. It is common in all parts of Utah along ditch banks, in meadows, and in wa.cte places, mostly in low-lying low-lying heavier and wetter soils. Cocklebur occurs in most 'farm areas of Beaver County but is especially bad along the banks of the Minersvilie Reservoir. Control Since cocklebur is an annual, spreading only by seeds, it can b. controlled by preventing the plants from gomg to seed.,This, however, is made difficult by a number of things: 1. Infestation often occurs in waste places made rather inaccessible inac-cessible by stream banks, brush, etc. 2. Seeds are spread widely by livestock. 3. The tvo seeds in each bur frequently .do not germinate at the same time, so infested areas may ne-d repeated treatment for control or eradication. In pastures or waste places, mowing or spraying with 2, 4-D at the rate of one pound per acre are the best methods. Hand work in spraying or cutting may be necessary 'for inaccessible inacces-sible places. In crop land where grain or corn is grown, spraying spray-ing with one pound of 2, 4-D per acre has proven very effective. ef-fective. Remember, good farming methods are the, best tools in effective wed control. |