The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-10-21
Troublesome Weeds.


l.
| The kinds of weeds that are trouble
some under some systems Of farming
disappear or do but little damage un
der others. This fact is often an inn
portant item in deciding what kline
of crops should be grown. Years ago
when wheat was the main dependence
and occupied the land every alternat,
year, the wheat was filled with rec
root. In those days, especially on san
dy soil, farmers unanimously voted
this the most pestlferous weed In exist
ence. On some large farms hundred,
of bushels of red root seed were cleaned
out of wheat, and the growing of this
crop became almost impossible from
this cause alone. Since the advent oil
the nudge. and the change from exclu-
sive wheat-growing to mixed husban-
dry with corn and other spring crops,
red root has become. less troublesome,
and is now rarely thought of. Some
farmers, within few years, have
thought that they could now renew
their old policy of growing wheat each
alternate year, and they are troubled
again by the appearance OF their old
enemy. This year think red root has
been generally more plenty than In
many previous seasons. Probably last
fall was unusually favorable to its
growth.
The change, now generally in pro-
gress, from grain and clover to grass
and dairy, dismisses for the time some
of the farmers old enemies. but unfor-
tunately introduces him to some new
ones already here and waiting to re-
ceive him. Quack grass is little likely
to be so much noticed when land Is
seeded to permanent pasture or mead
ow as when plowed every other year.
In fact, am little afraid that the
prevalence of this weed is one reason
for the general desire to quit blowing
and seed the land to grass. Under the
policy of blowing most of the land-of-
ten more than could well be cultivated
-quack has increased enormously and
very few farms of one hundred acres
are entirely free from it. Farmers
hereabouts have not learned the knack
of your correspondent, Mr.. Ives; in
managing and utilizing this weed. We
all regard it as the greatest possible
nuisance in all cultivated crops.
The common rag-weed has become a
great nuisance, especially in stubble
ground after harvest. 1t is the most
accommodating weed I know, and will
adapt itself to any soil. In sterile or
hardly packed soil, 1t may be only ten
or twelve inches high, or even less, but
full of seed the whole length of the
stems. When the soil is rich and mel
low, 1t spreads itself like tree three
or four feet high, with widely extend.
ing branches. Sometimes when clover
is thin 1t will appear the second year,
but rarely causes much trouble In clo-
yer meadows. If pastured 1t will injure
the feed ,crowding out the clover which
is cropped by cattle, and wherever eat
an by cnws will imnart nm UNPLEASANT
taste to milk and butter. This weed
can be kept in check by clean culture
in hoed crops and by liberal sowing
with clover when seeded. A thick mat
of clover will keep down all annual
weeds, and greatly check most others.
In permanent grass rag-weed causes
little trouble; the seeds, however, re-
main dormant, ready to grow when
land is plowed again.
Wild carrot 10, however, q plant Of
totally different character. 1t has be.
come very common, and where land is
left unplowed two or more years, 1t
will be one of the most troublesome
weeds. 1t is biennial, and very hard
to get rid of where 1t exists in large
quantities. Cutting with scythe has
to be repeated at frequent intervals.
and after all, the chances are that some
will escape, as 1t will seed very near
the ground II cut often. Jehnswort and
teasel are also often bad weeds OH
farms In permanent grass:
Weeds in pastures are especially bad
for the dairy, for cows will frequently
crop them by mistake when growing
with other heritage. If there is to be
increased production of dairy articles,
only the "gilt edged" will bring re.
price. We shall come to
this In time with milk as we'll as butter
and cheese. The milk of some cows is
worth twice as much as that of others
or sometimes Of the same cow when fed
on different food. have heard that a
farmer who supplied unadulterated
milk to milkman, had his product
criticised by the latter because the cows
were fed literally with beets, which
produced great quantities of thin milk
which would not bear watering. He
was very particular to get rich milk,
not to give treat to his customers, but
that he might sell more water and In
crease his own profits. Sometime peo-
pie will learn to detect the difference
In quality Of milk aside from Its rich
ness. and then the dairyman whose
land Is free from weeds can sell his at
a premism.-[Country Gent.