The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-09-07
Destroying Weeds.
Bucks County, Pa.

We have many inquiries for the best
way of destroying certain weeds. There
are general principles, which, If com.
pretended, might he readily and un-
derstandlngly applied to any one indi-
vidually. Weeds are of two kinds
ANIMALS and b!ennlals, which are
spread by seed; and creeping. rooted
perennials, which extend by the roofs.
The former include rag-weed. fox-tail.
pig-week, purslane, cookie, wild mus
tard, shepherds purse, chick weed red
root, wild chamomile, burdock, MULLEN,
horse thistle, chess, &c. The latter in
clude milk-weed, quack grass, Canada
thistle, toad-flax, &c. To kill the an
nuals, the process is simple and alike
for nearly all namely, to destroy them
just as they are about to peep above the
surface, by narrowing, ifin large fields,
or by the hand rake, in small gardens.
Keep the surface constantly clean and
mellow If you go over 1t often the
weeds can get no Roadway the soil will
be kept from crusting, and rendered In
excellent condition for crops. We read
lately of a farmer who had become ut
terly discouraged with the increase of
weeds, his summer fullow being en-
--- :. ----i It'll r-i" --~L s-----.,
equal 10 q ton per acre. Now, no good
summer fallow ever had a weed grow
Ing on it the object of fallow is to
clear the ground. and if necessary 1t
should be stirred up mellow as often as
once week with harrow or two
horse cultivator. Always kill annual
weeds before they come up. When the
soil Is foul with their seeds, the stirring
process should be repeated many times
until all are cleared OUTFLOW, harrow,
cultivate; cultivate. pillow, harrow. In
some cases. 1t may be eXpedient to keep
a field in summer fallow two successive
years, In order to clear out all the
seeds; IN others, the clean and thor
ough culture of hoed crops, or dense
broadcast seeding, may effect the desir-
ed purpose. But quick, thorough work
is al ways the cheapest, An unequal,
prolonged war is the most costly. b.
ennials are 10 be treated nearly as an
nuals; but if they obtain foothold the
first year by careless management, they
should he cut below the surface early
the second season.
Perennial rooted weeds, like the
milk-weed and Canada thistle, REQUIRE
u double treatment. They must not he
allowed to go TO seed and spread In this
way, After once in possession, they
are to have different treatment from
ANIMALS. As general rule, they are
more easily extlrPated. They may be
thoroughly destroyed in one season
the seeds of annuals often require sever
al years TO free the soil from them,
Taking Canada thistles as the represent
tative OF this class, the process for their
destruction IS exceedingly simple
namely, smothering. We lind no diff.
Guilty and little expense, In completely
killing patch between June !, and
October. Plow under, deeply, thor
oughly and without any balks, SO that
no green point of the plant can ever see
the light, and three or four months will
do the thing completely. The same
treatment will finish other creeping.
rooted weeds. A twelve-acre field Of
quack grass was completely era Heated
IN one summer, but the pillow and har.
row passed as often as once week.
One OF the most difficult weeds to
root out and keep out is the ox-eye
daisy. 1t increases both by seed and
roots, and 1t Is spreading rapidly all
through the country. Yet there are
some good farmers living in regions
where the country Is all white with
them, who have not a single plant OF
this weed on their farms. The remedies
are summer fallow, rotation with FIRE.
quent hoed crops, dense clover crops,
and hand-pulling. II the first three
are we'll attended to, there will be com.
paratively little hand-work required.
The clover must be sowed much
thicker than common, say at least hall
u bushel per acre, on a well-prepared
mellow surface.
We have sometimes thought that
weeds are a great blessing, by compel
ling farmers TO be active and thorough
and 10 stir the soil often; ut all events
they poiht out vigorous farmers who dc
things IN the most economical manner
from sluggish ones, who keep an ex,
pensive and prolonged war with weed:
all their livss-[Country Gentleman.