Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-06-02
lailr Afnnftrt gournal.
rIGBrIyG WITCH GRASS.

IA Fighting witch grass. as we used 10 GO
twas the most unsatisfactory work we
1;a ~, the farm On our farm there is a
row Of pear trees; between the pear trees
are currant bushes. When blowing in the
snrinp. we leave two feet on each side OF
de bushes, not ploughed. thus leaving
Strip about four feet wide to be worked
nv hand, As the rows are about eight
rods long, the ground not plowed equals
about two square rods. In the spring OF
1871, this ground was full of witch grass.
A man was set at work to dig the ground,
pick out the grass roots and wheel them TO
The hog pen. He worked all day, and, at
night, told me had given the grass terri
bic terrifying, and that it wouldn't grow
much that season.
The ground was hoed old style, that is
three or four times in the early part OF the
season, and left to itself in the latter part.
The next spring another man was set to
dig. pick and wheel witch grass to the
hog ben. He worked all day, and at
night. told me that, without any excep-
ton. that was the hardest and most unsat-
isfactory davis work he had ever done. |
said to him, "You have hit it exactly. l
know of no word that will describe the
work of witch grass fighting so well as un-
satisfactory" 1t was two dollars worth
of good labor on two rods of ground in
very busy time.
thought would try an experiment on
that ground and see what effect hoeing it
once week as long as sprig OF grass
was to be seen, would have upon it.
About the middle of August the grass
gave QUIT could do no more-there has
,,,f tho SrrnppI Sinpp IL
very little more labor to hoe that ground
once week, for twelve weeks, than 1t
would have been TO hoe it once in three
weeks, for twelve weeks, because it was SO
much easier to hoe when hoed often. Hoe
ing il once week killed all the grass, while
hoeing il once in three would never have
killed the grass,-whyP l will tell you
why, but wish to say, first, that the next
spring, after ploughing by the bushes, l
took my hoe and in ten minutes, put the
ground in better order for the summer
than it was put in the spring before with
ten hours of hard work.
In the summer of 1872 made the study
Of witch grass and the laws which govern
its growth specially. lplanted it in hall
barrel tubs; | MANFRED, watered, tended
and watched it as though it was the most
important plant on the farm. wanted
to know the source of its strength and, If
it had weak spot, ! wanted 70 find it;
found ploughing witch grass stopped
+, the growth OF the crop ploughed. as dig
ging potatoes stops the growth OF the crop
dug. The next growth OF the grass, after
being ploughed, is new crop which
starts from the eyes of the old roots.
All underground growth OF witch grass
forms joints or eyes little more than one
inch apart, but, at or near the surface OF the
J ground there are two joints near togeth-
or; the upper one of these grows leaves;
from the lower one, when the plant is
strong enough. the large runners or prop
agating roots start. growing little below
the surface and forming eyes or buds as
they grow. II an eye or bud is planted
four inches deep. it will make three eyes
& or buds below the leaf bud. If the leaf is
cut above the leaf bud once a week, it
will continue to grow from that bud all
summer ;but, lift is cut below the leaf bud,
it must make new start from one of the
eyes below, come up and form new leaf
bud before it can grow grass. 1t will do
this if the lower eyes are ripe enough to
grow when the leaf but is cut. In that
little if lies the strength and the weakness
Of witch grass -New England Farmer.