American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18
Destroying Weeds.

WE have many inquiries for the best
way of destroying certain weeds. There
are general principles which. if compre.
hended, might be readily and understand
ingly. applied to- any one individually.
Weeds are of two .kinds-annuals and
creeping-rooted perennials, which extend
by the roots. The former include rag
weed fox-tail, pig weed, purslsne, cookie,
valid mustard I shepherds purse, chick
weed, red-root, wild camemile, burdock,
mullen, horse-t thistle, chess, etc. The
latter include milk-weed, quack- grass,
Canada thistle, toad-tlax, etc. To kill the
ANNALS the process is simple and alike
for nearly all-nameiy, to destroy them
surface by narrowing, if in large fields, or
by the mandrake if in small gardens.
Keep the surface constantly clean and
mellow; if you go over it often the weeds
can never get any Roadway; the soil will
be kept from crusting ard rendered in ex-
cellent condition for crops. We read lately
of a farmer who had become utterly dis
couraged with the increase of weeds, his
summer fallow being incumbered with
their rank growth equal to a ton per acre.
NOW, no good summer fallow ever had a
weed growing on it; the object of fallow
is to clear the ground, and if necessary it
should be stirred up mellow as often as
once a week with a harrow or. two-horse
cultivator. Always kill annual weeds be-
fore 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 it
may be expedient to keep field in sum-
mer fallow two successive years, in order
to clear out all the seeds; in Others the
clean and thorough culture of hoed crops,
or dense, broadcast seeding, may effect
the desired purpose. But quick, thorough
work is always the cheapest. An une-
queal, prolonged war is the most costly.
Biennials are to be treated nearly as am
nuals; but If they obtain foothold the
first year by careless management, they
should be cut below the surface early the
second season.
Perennial rooted weeds, like the milk
weed and Canada thistle, require double
treatment. They must not be allowed to
go to seed and spread in this way. After
once in possession they are to have differ
ent treatment from ANIMALS. As general |
rule they are more easily extirpated. |
They may be thoroughly destroyed in one |
season; the seeds of ANIMALS often require /
several years to free the soil from them
Taking Canada thistles as the representa-
tives Of this class, the process for their de-
struction is exceedingly simple-namely,
smothering. We find no difficulty and |
little expense in completely killing patch |
between June and October, Pillow undar,@
deeply, thoroughly 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 err eping-
rooted weeds. A twelve-acre field of
quack-grass was completely eradicated in
one summer, but the pillow and harrow
passed as often as once week. t I
One of the most difficult weeds to root
out and keep out is the ox-eye daisy. 1t |
increases 10th by seeds and roots, and it
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
frequent hoed crops, dense clover crops,
and hand pulling. If the first three are
we'll attended to there will be compare
lively little hand-work required. The
clover must be sowed much thicker than
say at least half bushel per
acre, on a well prepared mellow surface
Country Gentleman.