Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-11-24

In the introd elton to that excellent little
book on "Weeds and Useful Plants" by DIR.
Darlington, occurs the following =
"Ihe vitality OF seeds particularly if buried
IN the earth below the reach of the influences
which cause termination, in some cases en-
dures through many years; hence an old
fed after deep blowing, has often fine crop
OF weeds from the seeds thus brought to the
surface. Weeds that have been cut or pulled
after they have Powered, should not be thrown
into the barn yard or hog stye, unless the farm.
er wishes to have the work to do over again
with their progeny, as the seeds will be thor
Oughiy distributed in the manuriEg of the
land. In England they dry the pcrnicious
weeds and burn them, not only destroying root
and branch, bnt seed also. In all wedding ii is
ofthe greatestimportance that it should be done
before the plarts have formed seed. This
should be regarded equally with annual peren-
NAL weeds. The prolific character of some
weeds is astonishing; each head OF an oXeye
daisy or whteweed is not simple flower but
a collection Of a great many flowers, each
of which produces a seed aud, as single
plant bears a great many heads, the number of
seeds that a single individual is capable of
supplying in a season amounts to several hun.
dreds In weeds the evil should be emphati-
cally nipped in the bud. In this respect the
farmer should act in the spirit of the western
savages, who kill the women and children
OF their enemies, as a t lerably sure way
of preventing the mul iplicatiOn of warriors.
Annual weeds are much more readily kept
i'll subsection than the perennial ones which
Especially those which multiply extensively
by their underground stems or roots often
become truly formidable. Here not only
has the propagation by seeds to be pre-.
vented, but subterranean and hidden enemy
has to be c0ub atted. 1t is very important
that the agricuiturist should understand the
way in which these plants grow, that lie may
know how to direct his efforts to subdue them
A perennial weed like the Canada Thistle or
Couch Grass is during the early stage Of its
existence, easily destroyed but later in the
season it makes strong underground stems
or roots as they are commonly but incorrectly
called, which have great tenacity of life aud
which have within them an accumulation of
nourishment which enables them to throw up
several successive crops OF heritage blowing
such weeds generally aggravates the trouble,
for, unless every fragment he removed from the
ground, a thing very difficult to accomplish
each piece that is lett makes a separate plant
In the case of weeds OF this description the
necessity Of early eradication is apparent,
for if once well established, and an under
ground provision depot formed, the farmer
and the plant are placed in the condition of
the beseging aud besicgcd forces-as long as
inc provisions HoNl oui, Tue lalter can mann
tain its ground. 1t becomes question OF en-
durance, tor the underground supply must be
eventually exhausted in the attempt to pro-
duce new stems and leaves, and if the farmer,
by persist,ntly cutting these away, prevents
any new accession TO the stoci Of provision,
the enemy must at length succumb. Often
repeated cuttings will at length exhaust the
underground portion Of its vitality. In some
cases salt has been used with success, espec-
tally upon thistles, applied Immediately after
moving. The farmer will do well to keep in
mind two rules DO not let ,oceds ,tlotoer, and do
not A them breathe, Tor the leaves may be con-
sidere'l the lungs of the plant, and without the
aid of these it cannot long maintain itself"