1957-09-01 Char-Koosta News

              CHAR-KOOSTA
PUBLISHED BY CONFEDERATED SALISH AND KOOTENAI TRIBES, FLATHEAD AGENCY, MONT. Vol. 1 No. 11 Sept. 1957
Weed Control Program on Idle Lands
\i the above photograph employees of Flathead Agency Soil and Moisture Conservation (SMC) unit are spraying idle farmland severly infested with Canada thistle. 160 acres of such land infested with noxious weeds were treated with herbicide chemicals in the season just ending. Some of the infested lands were treated twice. Funds earmarked especial ly for weed control in idle trust lands were made available for the first time in the past fiscal year of 1957. The Flathead agency received $3,500 for the present F. Y. 1958 beginning last July 1. These special funds have enabled Agency personnel to perform a real service to Indian land owners and to the community. Idle lands have been drawn into the over all weed control program and need no longer be a source of infestation to surrounding lands.
Two spray units were operated from the Flathead Agency either on idle farm lands or for Indian land operators throughout the weed spraying season. Harold Felsman, John Michel and Frank McClure, the equipment operators, killed a lot of weeds before the season's end.
As noxious weeds are controlled, the' idle agricultural lands become more attractive to prospective lessees. Approximately 1,000 acres of land that remained idle throughout the past year were leased for the crop year of 1957. Extra effort on the part of Agency leasing personnel together with the weed control measures 'n on idle land are largely responsible this reduction in idle land acreage.
Indian ranchers and farmers used both Agency and weed district equipment in spraying noxious weeds on their units in the past season. Several operators have gone to considerable expense in treating patches of noxious weeds that once
established, seriously reduce grass and crop yields as well as the value of crops harvested from infested lands. The response of these land owners to problems in weed control, which effect not only their land but that of neighboring farms and ranches, is to be commended.
It is well to remember that spraying is not the only effective weed control measure. Mowing, crop rotation, and controlled grazing are equally important in obtaining control of noxious weeds and are sometimes less expensive and more effective. Experimental results in the state indicate that mowing Canada thistle (our No. 1 noxious weed) once each year, gave almost complete eradication of the weed after 3 years. This experiment was carried out on land where there was a vigouous crop such as alfalfa or grass to compete with the thistle. Spraying irrigated pastures wih 2 lbs. of 2,4-D per acre annually gave resuls almost identical with those obtained from mowing in the same period of time.
We have a lot of weeds throughout the Flathead Reservation but land owners and various agencies concerned with weed control have made a lot of progress in the past few years. Farmers and ranchers are learning new methods in their warfare on weeds and new chemicals are constantly being developed. The ASC program, in sharing the cost of control measures on noxious weeds, has cut the financial burden on the land operator in half. The time hasn't come when we can relax and forget a problem that is estimated to cost Monana farmers 5 million dollars each year. We are beginning, however, to see some results from control efforts and an increasing interest in the problem on the part of people both on and off the farm.
Anne Pierre, Aree, Is 101
Only one woman of the Tribe is older than Anne Pierre, Arlee. Anne is 101, while her friend, The Sack Woman (Mary Kaltomee, whose story has already been on these pages) is 111.
Anne still lives in her little log cabin west of the tracks in Arlee. Here she busies herself almost around the clock with the things that interest her, especially making sure that she in in her own home. Her daughter-in-law, Rosalie Poker jim, watches over her while her son, Eneas Pierre, spends much time with her.
Anne does not remember much about her own parents as she was a very little girl when her grandmother assumed the responsibility of raising her. She was born at Stevensville and talks often of those early days which she now recalls. She knows that she came to the Jocko Valley with Chief Charlo when, brokenhearted, he gave in to the government's removal of the Flatheads from the Bitter-root to the Jocko.
She remembers a stop at Schley where a first attempt was made to put up the teepees for the new home to be established. Again, an order to move was heeded. With it was a promise of stoves, pots and pand, and other riches. The new camp was set up where Arlee now stands but Anne is still waiting and remembering the riches promised her.
James Sapiel (Sah Pierre) was Anne's husband and to them were born 16 children. The son, Eneas, is the only one of the 16 still living. Sapiel died in 1934. Grandchildren, first, second and third generations, are too many for Anne to recall.
Even though her trips to town are fewer and seldom alone, Anne is still a beloved woman of Arlee and she and her gnarled walking stick will long be legend.