Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-09-26
THE MULTIPLICATION or WEEDS

| Ahh MoAAATAACAIAON OF "EEDS
On all parts of the landowners premise.
weeds are now beginning to ripen their myriad
seeds. Very few can say they have none
And while they have any at all to increase
and multiply, it is hard to say how many
millions there may be another year. These
remarks apply more particularly to annual
weeds, increasing solely by their seeds.
We have just made Nm examination of the
number Of seeds which some of the more
common annual weeds ripen on single plant.
The green Foxtail grass varies from 5000 to
600 seeds; the brown Foxtail 1000 to D.
900; the cocks foot Panicum about 1000
| the Rag-weed, or Ambros,a, often 5000 !;
the Pigwced or Amaranthus, 5000; and the
Lamb s-quarters, also called Pigweed, (chen-
opodium,) often at least 10000 We lately
rode past garden" where there were
plants of the latter at least seven feet high,
and the number of seeds which each bore
must have been at least 10000 to 100, 900.
A single plant soould thus seed ten acres, al.
lowing one plant to every two feet square |!
Many farmers wonder where all the weeds
come from-they cannot conceive how so
many should have come mixed through the
soil, and some consequently insist that they
grow without seed, spontaneously. Let us
examine moment, and see if so improbable
cause is necessary to account for their vast
numbers t .sf q. $50
In a late number of the COUNTRY GENTLE
MAN series of recent experiments by one Of
the editors is given to show that by burying
such coarse seed as wheat six inches deep,
they would scarcely grow; and beans at that
depth would not grow at all. When we come
to such small seeds as those Of pigwecd, fox.
tail, de-, where from 20 to 90 are required
to equal the bulk of a single grain of wheat,
we may at once perceive that they would not
vegetate unless very near the surface. The
soil might therefore contain vast number
in dormant state, ready to spring into wild
luxuriance, as soon as the pillow throws them
up to the surface. r. 50 .-,..-. .-..., @~ar
But if the soil were so full Of these seeds,
would we not at once perceive their presence
all through it in working it with the pillow,
spade or hoe? Let us look moment at this
question. A bushel of pig.weed seed con-
talns over $4,000, 00O-10, 900, as we have
shown, would seed an acre, or bushel 6, 900
acres. But we will be extravagantly liberal,
and give bashel to only one acre-enough
Tor dense growth Of eight plants to every
square inch Yet bushel is only one.
twenty thousandth part of the bulk of the
soil OH an acre Of ordinary depth; hence
there may be fifty million igweed seed all
through an acre Of soil, yet constituting but
a twenty thousandth part, and quite imper-
ccptible even to close observation. No won.
der then that whenever the soil is turned up
to air and light, these numberless seed start
into germ nation, and the whole surface is
soon covered with close green growth.
hnir ohar &C. nj,
Their increase is Incredible Every farmer
who passes by single weed should know
what figures say of the increase it may occa-
sion. Take the lowest number we have Civ
en- for the product Of seed on one plant, OF
only 900; next year. 1868, it may be l, 0O0,-
100000; in 1865, 1,OOO, 1000, 900, 900. This
will do for three ycars-sur young arthmet-
ical readers may carry out the calculation for
ten years il they wish. d T. "a - ..
This, altogether, looks formidable. The best
way, however, to conquer an enemy is first
to know his strength. Such thing has been
done as clearing farm of weeds, and it may
be done again. Flowing, narrowing, careful
cultivation, well conducted rotation, seeding
to grass, &C., have performed wonders on
the farm at large; and the hoe, spade, and
thumb and fingers, have been as successful.
IN the garden The great error which most
have committed, as we have elsewhere re-
marked, is in not making the war complete
determination. A very few stragglcrs are
enough to increase and multiply. If farm
er has ten acre field of weeds, and if he
succeeds in destroying ninety mine hundred
tbs, he is satisfied; he thinks he has done
the thing up brown. But in year or two
he has the same operation to 20 over again.
1t would be far more economical, and save
also a great injury to an otherwise half
smothered crop, to finish the job up com.
pletely and totally-search and research till
the last solitary straggler is demolished
This is especially so with gardens. Let
nothing 60 to seed-hunt for the last one
the soil will soon be worked clean, and labor
will be lessened, and crops greatly increased.
But the price Of freedom from weeds] is
eternal vigilance. -..-g ..