A  discussion  of the  vital problems  of  lawn  making  and  maintenance 

PUBLISHED  S E V E R AL  TIMES  YEARLY  BY 

O.  M.  SCOTT  &  S O NS  COMPANY 

-  SEEDSMEN 

-  M A R YS VILLE,  OHIO 

March-April  1930 

No. 2 

are 
long, 

that  Yarrow  was  named  for  the  invul-  . 
nerable  Achilles  who,  it  is  said,  used  the 
herb  for  the  cure  of  his  Myrmidons 
wounded  at  the  siege  of  Troy. 
It  is 
known  that  the  plant  has  some  medicinal 
value  and  its  dried  leaves  and  flowers 
bring  a  fair  price  in  the  drug  market. 
TOUGH  ROOT  SYSTEM. 
In addition  to the fern-
like  leaves  which  at  the 
base  of  a  fully  matured 
about 
plant 
ten 
inches 
there  are 
white  flowers  appearing 
in  a  dense,  flat-topped, 
compound  corymbis.  The 
roots  are  horizontal  and 
tough  and  cling  strongly 
to  the  parent  plant.  The 
foliage  is  strong  scented 
and  has  a  bitter 
taste 
(probably  the  reason  it  is 
used  for  medicine).  Cat-
tle  avoid  the  plant  for 
that  reason  but  may  eat 
it in  dry  fodder, in  which 
case  it  becomes very dam-
aging  to  the  quality  of 
dairy  products.  In  some 
parts  of  the  world  the 
pure  seed  of  Yarrow  is 
obtainable, indicating  that 
it has some use as a grow-
ing  crop.  Business friends 
of  ours  in  Germany  say  that  Yarrow  is 
not  cultivated  there  but  that  the  seed  is 
hand  collected  where  it  grows  wild. "It  is 
used  for sheep pastures  and  also in chem-
ists'  shops  as  a  medical  drug," 

VOLUME  3 

[  3  ] 

(Achillea 

Vol.  Ill 
FRIEND  and  FOE 
YARROW 

IS THIS  WEED 
Millefolium). 

Other  English  names  for  this  weed 
are  Milfoil,  Thousand-leaf,  Sanguinary, 
Bloodwort,  Soldiers'  Woundwort,  Nose-
bleed  Weed.  This  is  one 
of  the  few  weeds  that 
cannot  be  classified  as  a 
serious pest. It  is not  par-
ticularly  unsightly, 
the 
leaves  being  fern-like and 
rather  pretty.  These 
leaves  do,  however, 
lie 
flat  upon 
the  ground, 
tending  to  smother  out 
other  grasses.  If  allowed 
to  go  to  seed  the  plants 
will  grow  two  feet  tall. 
Naturally 
they  are  not 
permitted  to produce seed 
in  the  lawn  but  being  a 
perennial,  propagates  by 
means  of  root  stalks  as 
well  as  seeds.  In  pasture 
and  waste  lands where al-
lowed to grow  unmolested 
Yarrow  blooms  between 
June  and  October.  The 
seeding  time  is August  to 
November. Yarrow grows 
throughout  North  America  and  in  most 
parts  of  the  world.  It  is  a  very  hardy 
weed,  thriving  in  almost  any  soil  and 
being  indifferent  to  tropic  heat  or  arctic 
cold.  The  Latin  name  reveals  the  fact 

YARROW, in full bloom 

tures  contain  many  thousand  seeds  of 
Yarrow  per  pound. 

Believes  in  Sweat 

1.  Sharpen  an  oak  peg  tapered  pretty 

thin. 

2.  Make  saturated  solution  sulfate  of 

Writes  an  English  seedsman:  "Yarrow 
is  certainly  not  considered  a  weed  in  this 
country.  At  one  time  it  was  used  in  quite 
considerable  quantities  but  now  in  a  very 
small  way.  It  is  always  in  sheep  pasture 
where  it  is considered  a  very useful  plant. 
The  seed  has  been  known  to  command  a 
price  of  $2.00  per  pound." 

POSSIBLE  AIRPORT 

GRASS. 

It  is  possible  that 
Yarrow,  while  now 
considered  a  weed, 
may  yet  become  a 
useful  plant  in  this 
country.  As  a matter 
of  fact,  the  grass  is 
now  being 
consid-
ered  for  use  on  air-
ports  principally  be-
cause  of  the  tenacity 
with  which  the  foli-
age  clings 
the 
roots,  also  because 
of 
tough  root 
system  itself.  T he 
thick, 
laced 
leaves  adhere  to  the 
ground  and  form  a  sort  of  carpet  which 
may  prove  quite  useful  in  keeping  down 
dust,  one  of  the  serious  airport  problems. 

finely 

the 

to 

MEANS  OF  CONTROL. 

Yarrow  is  one  of  the  few  weeds  for 
which  there  is  no  remedy  recommended 
other  than  hand  digging.  Because  the 
roots  though  spreading,  are  attached  so 
securely  to  the  parent  plant  a  whole  col-
ony  of  Yarrow  may  be  ousted  in  one 
pull  if  the  ground  is  soft.  Seed  produc-
tion  may,  of  course,  be  prevented  by 
close mowing.  Many  do not  regard  Yar-
row  seriously  because  it  is  not  unsightly 
and  is  preferable  to  coarse  ugly  weeds  if 
weeds  you  must  have.  However, 
it 
shouldn't  be  allowed  to take  the  place  of 
desirable  grasses.  Most  impure  lawn  mix-

[ 4] 

VOLUME  3 

Note  the  elaborate  root  system  of  Yarrow 

iron  in  three-  or  four-ounce  screw  cap 
bottle. 

3.  Dip  peg  in  solution. 
4.  Stab  dripping  peg  down  deep   into 
heart  of  dandelion  and  let  the sun  do  the 
rest. 

5.  After  weed  has  withered  and  died, 
mix  good  soil  with  grass  seed  one  pound 
to  a  bucketful  of  soil;  put  a  little  pinch 
of  mixture  in  hole  left  by  deceased  dan-
delion. 

Repeat  ad 
infernalitum. 
My  recipe  for  a  good 

is  the 
above,  month  in  and  month  out.  The 
measure  of  a  good  lawn  is  the  gallons 
of  sweat  per  square  yard. 

lawn 

C.  C.  CONNER,  310  Pershing  Drive, 

Parnassus,  Pa.