The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-04-05
FARM AND GARDEN.
Killing Cnnaila Thistles.

Ayoung farmer inquiries how to destroy the
Canada thistle which have spread in large
patches over portions of his farm. We give
him our own experience, which is similar to
that OF many others:
1t is founded on the well-known principle
N vegetable physiology, that plants cannot
live unlcs, they can breathe through their
leaves smother them for one summer, and
they will perish. This will apply to all weeds
that spread by the roots, Our first expert
mcnt was made many years ago, on Il rough
spot of ground selected for a new garden
the only place where, on building new house
the garden could be made. 1t was nearly GOV.
cred with Canada thistles, milk weeds, and
many other weeds In "A single season every
one was completely eradicated and the whole
surface left as clean and mellow rs a garden
bed. The whole process was-deep aud ne.
pCdt.d p}ONjRg. AS soon as any weeds began
to peep at the surface, or rather little before,
the blowing was repeated. The intervals be.
tween the plowings were usually three or four
weeks. -Four months are enough to kill the
weeds. But if they are allowed to get above
the ground, they will soon recover all they
have lost by burying, ana the work will be
interminable.
Many years after the above experiment we
had occasion to prepare six.acre grass field
for wheat. Most Of it was densely covered
with Canada thistles The work was com
menced in June, and the thistles which had
already formed their blossom buds, were
turned deeply and completely under by means
OF large sodplow. Once month the opera
ton was repeated, until at the last blowing,
late in September when the whole surface was
as clean and mellow as an ash-heap, the wheat
was sown. No thistles made their appearance
the following year, except along the fence
where the blowing was not done.
Many other experiments have since been
equally etfectual.
Some precautions must be observed. The
operation is most easily and successfully per-
formed on heavy soils, which lie more com.
pactly, and more etlectually exclude the air.
On light soils the operation is more difficult
more care must be taken to perform the
blowing deeper and more perfectly, and must
be repeated ottcncr The owner can judge
best on the spot, and must see that the weeds
are kept completely under Again-if there
are stumps, stone-heaps or other obstacles in
the way of perfect blowing, ii will be found
that the weeds have kept their hold in those
places The obstacles must therefore be re
moved previously, if thorough work would ne
made. If fences interfere with the complete
eradication Of the thistles, they should be re-
moved if temporary; or Il spade should be
used instead Of the pillow, if there are post and
rail fences which are permanent.
Many years ago, when performing these ex-
periments and when labor AS cheap, we as
Certained that land wholly covered with the
thistle might be thoroughly cleaned in one
season for five dollars per acre; now it would |
cost ten or fifteen dollars. The purchaser of
a farm covered with thistes should therefore |
make deduction Of about fifteen dollars per
acre in price, for the expense of eradication. |
-C0'Intry Gentleman.