Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1847-07-17
AGRICULTURE
from ke ALbanu CuLlieator.

GUS means are adopted. "A point Oh tWe
first consequence, ID tho eradication Of
weeds and all plants excepting those which
IL Il wished to cultivate. The necessity Of
destroying weeds arises from several eau
SEES. Their growth interleres with and in.
jures the crop in various ways. They ex-
haust the soil, more or less, of the elements
which constitute the food of cultivated
plants they especially abstract tho mois-
ture Of the soil, making a constant drain
upon it in this respect, from the first mo-
ment Of their existence.
It is of great Importance that weeds
should be killed while they arc young. If
killed at this stage, the injury they occasion
is comparatively triGing, and tho expense
incurred in the operation is but little, com.
pared with what would be required to eff.
feet the object when they are more fully
growth. The brush Of d hoe or the scratch
of a light harrow will effectually kill q
weed at the time it appears above ground,
whereas the growth of a few weeks would
give it such q hold on the soil that it would
withstand considerable force, and to eradi-
cate it would require ten times the labor
which would have effected tho object in the
first Instance Besides, if weeds are al
lowed to reach a large size, their roots be.
come more or less mingled and ontwined
with the roots of the cultivated plants, 80
that in pulling up the weeds the crop is
liable to be injured.
Some people seem not to be aware of
the serious injury which the Introduction
of pernicious plants is to the soil. Some
of the rich 'corn lands" of the Western
States have already suffered a great dete-
rioration from this cause. The negligent
and s~lovenly manner in which the corn is
too frequently ''tended" has filled the soil
with every pest which will grow on IL. The
foul growth is in many cases suffered to
increase every year, till there Gems TO be
between the weeds and corn a great strife
for the mastery and though the corn, ON
some of the most fertile fields, grows twelve
to fifteen feet nigh, Or r10r5, ! = s6afeelEg 81
ceeds the weeds in height or strength, and,
8 Judging from the liberal border around the
g fields. of which the weeds seem 10 have
gained full possession, and from their FREE
/ quent appearance among the crop, the
e prospect seems fair for tho day being uIti.
d mately carried by them.
Stirring the ground, to a certain extent,
is beneficial to crops, aside from the efteci
of keeping down the weeds. By keeping
the soil loose, the roots of plants more rea.
div extend themselves; the soil is rendered
n more pertneable to the sun, by which 6
. more C~ongenial temperature Is gained tol
n plants; it facilitates the absorption O
9 dews, which bring down ammonia and fer
tilizing elements from the atmosphere {; ant
it exposes the soil more to the action of thu
air, by which the decomposition and com
binatiou of tho various elements Of vege
table food is effected. The action Of TIT
Z oxygen of the atmosphere is thought to b.
particularly beneficial on clays, and STAT
! and granite soils. The combination o
If the oxygen with the iron, and its action
on the other mineral elements, produces
disintegration Of the stony materials, an
I'd leaves the soil more friable. The admis
IS sion Of oxygen into the soil may likewis
s. be useful by its entering into combination
s' with the carbon of the soil, and thus form
IT, ing carbonic acid, the food Of plants.
ELS On some soils, especially those Of a ten
=, acious nature, q hard crust frequent
forms, by which heat and air are much ez
= cluded. Some simple implement, as
harrow or cultivator, should be used wit
sufficient frequency to prevent the crui
y. ~ from forming. As the growth OF plants u
~creases, their roots are more widely extenc
ed, and it is not proper to use tools whic
will mutiIate and destroy the roots.
It's important that plants should be du
de exposed to the influence of light and al
It is only under the influence Of light tn
Du- they are able to digest their food. Tn
ase sc take in carbonic acid and water, but
the aid of light they decomPose the ca
AZ. bonic acid, giving off tho oxygen, and
tanning the carbon to form their tissue
This influence Of light is quite surPrisin
IF a plant is placed in a dark room, and
.es. ray Of light is admitted on one side' t
rms ends of the branches are soon directed
r wards the light, and the plant seems
struggle TO reach that part OF the ro
:. where the light is strongest and its I'M
ence most direct. If small tree be Pla
nm ed under or near a large one, or on the 8
Of a forest, it soon begins to lean to
,ton side nearest to the light, and will contir
con- to grow in this direction, putting out
s. - few or no branches on the side most aft
ten ed by the shade Of other trees.
These facts are cited to show the nee
. sity of giving plants sufficient room.
they are crowded too thickIy together,
for sun is too much excluded from the
and, from the want Of sufficient circulat
- of air, the plants are less healthy, be
80 - 4