Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-06-20
Salt as a Weed Destroyer.

| pented the stfataSem lhat won my love.
Salt as a Weed Destroyer.
Weeds are said to be robbers of the
soil, taking that which wa; not designed
for them, but for more usehl plants. But
like other robbers, they Dc little mischief
| if closely watched, and the proper means
are taken to prevent their pilferings. In
deed, weeds are not an uimitigated evil,
for did they not grow, and make plough
ing and cultivation, and heing, absolute
| ly necessary, we fear our corn, potatoes
and all "hoed crops" would suffer for
want of necessary culture and the loss
from this cause, especially in q dry sea-
son, would be far greater than it now is
from foul weeds. While saying so much
for the weeds, it must be admitted there
are some varieties SO enacious Of life,
and with such abundant means Of propa-
CATION by the roots, that they are perfect
pests, and among them are the Couch
Grass, Canada Thistle, &c. Almost ev-
cry week some afflicted filler of the soil
applies to us for a sure and easy method
Of efecting their eradication. But we
know of no easy process, for the price
of success we have found to be the same
as that which patriots declare to be the
price Of liberty, "eternal vigilance" Oc-
casionally we have received accounts of
partial success by the use of salt, while
with others, perhaps from the use of too
large quantity, or an improper mode of
applying, the remedy has been found as
bad as the disease. Salt, in large guam
titles, will destroy almost all vegetation.
There are only few of our cultivated
vegetables, such as asparagus, that will
endure its liberal application.
A late English paper contains an ac-
count of experiments by practical far
mer in the use of salt for the destruc-
ton of Couch Grass and other weeds,
which were eminently successful, the salt
not only proving efectual in killing
weeds, but materially lessening insect
depredators, and greatly increasing the
crop of roots. We give the most i'm
portant part of the report, to which we
invite the special attention of our read
ers. If such great benefits are to be de-
rived from the use of salt, American far
mers cannot learn the fact too soon.
"Some years ago, being troubled on
my grass land with weed which | could
not eradicate by mechanical means, /
sowed heavy dose of salt and at once
effected the object. A season or two
back, it struck me that if the experience
was worth anything, it should teach me
quick way to rid my lands Of weeds
generally-the arabic land, l mean
The consequence was that when the au-
tumn arrived, the fields that were intend
ed to follow, received very heavy coat
of salt-coarse. grained, agricultural salt;
which is, in fact, the sweepings of the
salt works, and the refuse of the pans,
The quantity sowed was II cwt., per
acre. The winter which followed was
severe one, and in connection with the
frost, the chemical action of the salt up
on the soil was charming to the eye which
delights in the sight of beautiful fria-
BILE mold, in the place of a churlish, un-
kindly clay, which usually resists the
expansive, and dtsintegrating glacial in
fuence of winter. The field, too, on
which the experiment was tried had
long possessed a reputation for Couch
Grass, and that particular species of it,
known as Water Grass, the most trouble
some of all. The hoe would not kill
it, the twitch rake would not gather it,
and the children, in seeking it on the
surface after the harrow had left it ex-
posed, usually secured half of it, and
stamped tine rest of it into the ground to
its kind. This Water Grass
hen. which the hoe would not kill, which
he rakes could not collect, nor the chill