The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1859-04-07
aQrirultural
Destruction OF Weeds.


EDS, Co. GENTLEMEN Your CORES
pondent, D. D. Meeker, in your paper of
December 18th, inquiries on the above
rublect. | have never contended with
Dive-forever, beyond its presence in my
garden. Ii seems to me, however, that
the question of It's destruction does not de-
mandauy specific experience. Nearly the
same questions and answers are applicable
to elders, Canada thistles, dock, burdock,
&c.
1. could detail numerous eases where
dock, Canada thistles and elders have been
destroyed by covering with boards, barks,
&c. No plant can grow without air aud
light. Covering very much excludes both
2. Poughing.-Canada thistles have
been destroyed in one summer, by six
pIoughings in the months of June, July
and August. This certainly is expensive
yet in badly infected field of good soil,
and where agriculture is highly profitable,
it may be better to do so than lose the use
Of the land entirely.
3. Cattiag.-This may be done with
the hoe or scythe. Herbage kept down
by constantly being cut off must eventu
ally die. In case of the borders of field
grown up to elders, briars, golden rods,
&C., the very best way, think, is to cut
them all off close in the spring and remove
the stones, and also make the surface even
The use Oh the scythe, once in two or three
weeks for one summer, viii, with great
certainty aud tolerabIe cheapness, destroy
them. So, also, cut ing almost any vcge-
table off in the height of its growth, say
when in flower, will often utterly destroy
by one operation, This result is especial
ly made more sure, if, soon after the cut
ting, rain should fail to fill the hollow
stalks, and be followed by hot sun l
have myself thus destroyed cases of Can
ada thistles by one moving.
But if you wait till the plant is nearly
ripe, when of course the root has been
strengthened, you will fail. All persons
who have dug about elders, golden rods,
briars, &C., late in the season, must have
observed buds set just beneath the soil.
When this is the case. cutting of the old
plant does no good. The energy concen-
tratcd about the root will send up a Wig
Orous shoot the next year. | haze known
elders, growing in the grass ola door-yaru,
spring up the second spring, after having
been faithfully cut off during a whole
summer. But the growth last noticed
was very feeble. and was checked by once
more cutting them off
4 Culture. The worst piece of quack
| ever saw destroyed in one summer, by
cultivating hoed crop among it. Pota-
toes have been recommended for this pur-
pose, but think unwiSely, as they are in-
jurcd by late culture, such as would often
be found necdful to finish the thist!es. +
prefer corn, hushbeans and cabbage, with
all of which1 have been successful, and
that without much cost beyond ordinary
culture. The precautiou should be taken
to plant your hill IN spot made clear at
the time-then you can hoe them more
boldly. 1t is further necessary that you
should hoe in dry, hot weather. Hence
this plan fails in wet season. After the
first hoeing of "a quaeky crop, it is often
well to go over it lightly in the middle of
q hot day, just skimming the sur.ace of
the soil, and cutting off tire young grass.
! have seen, during the last summer, a
very quacky held yearly cleaned in the
following manner. 1t was twice ploughed
(having been in barley the year before
and thoroughly narrowed in dry weather
Then it was planted little late with po-
tatoes. These were subsequently pllug
ed and cultivated pretty frequently in dry
weather, excepting right about the hills
the destruction was nearly perfect.
5. The use Of Sah.-This, to be effect
ual in the case of large field. must be
applied SO literally as to destroy not only
foal vegetation, but the crop too; and
hence you cannot cultivate it. Your land,
too, in some eases, might be injured for
the succeeding year. This mothod is
moreover costly. Yet the llmited use Of
salt is often advisable, as where some of
fensive plant is so situated as not readily
10 be dug out. In this case, if it be eur
off smoothly, and handful of salt be laid
upon it, its destruction may be ordinarily
insured.
q. The Culture Of BOckwheat.-The
sowing of successive crops of buckwheat,
during the same season, in foul land, is
often one of the readiest modes of clearing
it. In this case the crop should be rolled
down when In flower, and another crop of
the same be sowed upon it. The foul
vegetation will spring up with the buck
wheat, but will SION be shaded and dwarf
ed by it. The succeeding ploughing will
destroy it. Thus, as often as you plough
you destroy crop of weed, &c, also,
while the result Of the whole operation is
to deepen and mellow your soil, as well as
in some sense to enrich it-not certainly
hv nddino anv ,ninaral xrool,b 60 - h.,