The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-27

8be Tarnt.
Value Of Summer FallOw.
[Country Gentleman

1llcIS Is IlOClliLS hiOl ~ euie
in farm economy than clean Guilt
walton. However rich a soil may
be in all the elements of plant
food, if allowed to become filled
with thistles and the seeds of noXi
Gus weeds, successful or profitable
cropping is almost impossible. A
good crop is never grown when con-
tending with weeds for the possess
ion of the soil. Our cultivated
crops cannot content against such
enemies. The growing of noxious
weeds is a greater tax on u far
mers than all the taxes ever impos-
ed by government IN every form.
They are native to the soil, and al
ways ready to take possession when
the hand of diligence is relaxed,
and yet no plant grows without the
seed is first planted. The field
that is neglected only n year will
become so filled with wild seeds
that years Of cultivation will hardly
exterminate them. Hence the care
less farmer is annoyed tenfold IN
after years for his single neglect.
But we need not single out the few
whose neglect has filled the soil
with weeds. Our system of farm
ing has rendered the evil almost
universal. Our farms are every
where infested, and our cre ps great
ly injured by these pests. There
is hardly a noxious weed known to
our country and climate that is not
found on nearly every farm to
some extent. The ready com
munication and the common in
terchange of products throughout
Our country has been a prolific
source of spreading to all sections
the evil as we'll as the good of all
other sections.
There is no source, perhaps, that
has done so much in this way as
the sowing of grass and clover seed.
1t is hardly possible to find a pure
article of either in the market !;
some kinds of foreign seeG will De
found in all, and usually many
kinds. Farmers have thought it of
little consequence to keep their
meadows or pastures clean, yet
there is no more prolific mode of
spreading weeds. Hay is filled
with weeds, and the seeds are not
destroyed by passing thorough the
animals but are returned to the
land in the n anure when spread.
In clover and grass, when seed is
grown, every weed natures its seed
and it is difficult or impossible to
separate them in cleaning and in
sowing this seed. all kinds of noxi-
our weeds have been spread ove
our country. The important ques-
ton how is, how these pests Can be
most easily and thoroughly exter-
minated. To clean land by COM
mon crop cultivation and wedding
is an expensive process, and Is sell
dom made effectual, however
thorough the cultivation may be.
The cheapest and most effective
means that | have yer e en-
ploved was a we'll worked summer
fallow, though a fallow not wholly
confined to one season. The seeds
Of biennial plants are not destroy
ed by one seasons cultivation.
Those seeds more re adily terminate
in autumn. If, therefore, such
seeds as red root, cookie, plantain,
wild carrot and others, that require
two seasons to bring them to ma
turity, are to be destroyed, autumn
cultivation is necessary. The land
should be plowed early in Septem-
Der, and well worked up SO that
all such seeds will grow. Then in
spring again pillow and harrow, 81
that all annual seeds will germln-
ate. This will also destroy those
of fall growth. Then follow up
with pillow, c~ultivator or gang-plow
and harrow through tie growing
season, allowing no weed or plant
to grow, and the work will be thoro-
ughly done, the soil will be clean.
no matter what the weeds may be.
Canada tn >tles, quack grass,
o any other weed cannot survive
If under the soil during the grow
ing season. The sOll being 30 fire
quently turned, all seeds will find
their p. oper condition for germina-
ton. and will be DESTROYED by fur
Their Gu tivati, n.
This may look to the farmer as
an expensive process solely to kill
wee DIS, but to him whose land is
foul, it Will be the most pr, fitable
Of Labor a Gln. n coil