Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-09-04

progress in spreading over the ields, or
whose fingers have been pricksd oy II
when securing their crops.
The Canada thistle effected Judgment
ia this town, more than 80 years ago /;
but its progress within the last i've wears
has been more rapid than al any former
period. Fields that had not been prev.
ously encountered with II, have had OF
late so many new seedlings, that the land
is rendered almost unfit 10 be sown with
wheat; and without much perseverance
it will be entirely so ~ few years.
INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF WEEDS.
The question has been asked, how II
was possible for China and Japan, with
the ordinary products of agriculture, 10
furnish bread for population, equaliog,
according 10 the latest census about 800
persons TO square mile. The answer is
10 be found in the care with which every
foot of ground IS cultivated IN the laet
that few ANIMALS are kept, either for LABOR
or food and more perhaps than any
thing else, IN the entire freedom OF the
crops from every thing that Can reduce
their quantities or quality. Not weed
of any kind is to be found 10 the iields,
and the most positive enaclments and
most asslduous attentions are directed to
keep the country free from them.
Few are aware how much weeds, or
grasses, growing in gram crop, detract
from It's value, by lessenlng the product
A vigorous root Of charlock or thistle VIII
draw from the earth the nutrlmenl that
would have gwen fullness to hall dozen
ears OF wheat and where these, or any
other foreign substance is permitted IN
growing crop, that IS sure to suiier IN
proportion to the quantity oil the foul ma
teral present. Weeds in)ure a crop IN
Two ways; by the room they occupy, 10
the exclusion of the valuable plants. and
by the nutrment OF which they rob the
growing crop. We have seen fields IN
which the wheat maintained dubious
struggle with the red root, charlock, or
thistle; and where the stem and the ear
both showed how much they needed to
be relieved from such crowding and I'M
welcome neigabors. Ga the best GULL
waited farms of England or Belgium, not
plant or weed OF any description Can be
found 10 growing crop; aud IN some
years the Earl OF Leicester has Offered a
reward, but without success, for the
sma Hest or any weed that could be found
in hundreds OF acres Of his turneps, or us
wheat.
lc this country, but few experiments
have been made TO snow the difference
OF product between clean and foul fields,
but several are recorded in Sncislr's
Code Of Agriculture, some OF which we
snail give, 10 call the attention OF farmers
to this point, and show that The labor ex-
pended in clearing fields or crops from
weeds, is far from being lost, us many
would seem, from their negligence 10 The
matter, to suppose.
81. WAeai. - Seven acres OF light grav-
ely land were fallowed, aud sown broad
cast one acre was measured of, aud not
a weed was pulled out oft; the other
six were carefully weeded. The unweed-
ed acre produced Is bushels; the SIX
weeoed acres 1875 bushels, or 81 bushels
per acre which IS a. bushels, or one
fourth OF the whole, in favor OF wedding.
"2. Bariev.-A six acre field was
sown with barley, in fine tltb, aud well
MANFRED. The wedding, owing 10
great abundance OF charlock, cost las.
per acre. The produce Of an unweeded
acre, was only IL bushels ofthe weed
ed, %. Difference in favor OF the weed
ing, Is bushels per acre, besides The land
being so much cleaner Tor succeeding
crops
80. Oats. Six acres were sown with
oats; one acre plowed but once and I'M
MANFRED, produce only II bushels.
Another six acres plowed three times,
MANFRED, and weeded, produced 81 bush.
els per acre. This experiment proves
that oats require good management, aud
will paw for II, as well as other crops.
Ten bushels of The increased produce may
be fairly attributed 20 the weedlng, aud
the other ten 10 the manure.
1t is admitted that tie labor and expense
of wedding crop, is considerable bul II
the difference be such as is here stated,
and there is no reason to doubt ii, as il is
abundantly coroborated by other expen.
ments, then il should be more generally
and promptly attended TO than It is.
If our farmers could raise bushels oi
wheat, Is of barley or 10 OF oats adJi
uonal to their usual crop per acre, the ei-
feet would at once be fell IN every depart.
ment OIL la Dor 10 the country. No one
;rayel through our country D / re- harvest
time, without being conWnced that mn.
Ions of acres might have n e products
increased IN as great faho as tue
above, by entire freedom from weeds.
Farmers would be grath-d could thry
have their lands tax free bat exp rence
shows, that TO have them ,ceed free, would
be of far greater importance '"thrn'.
THE CANADA THISTLE.