The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-30
Weeds.

growing in a corn-field is as ruthlessly
destroyed as a thistle, and is as much a
weed in every respect. But how strange
it is that farmers who will agree per-
fectly in this view as regards the wheat
or the potato, will not only permit
pumpkins and beans to grow with their
corn, but actually deceive themselves I
into the belief that they arc gaining an
advantage over " Dame Nature - on the
sly. "The stars keep not their motion
in one sphere" nor can two masses Of
matter occupy the same place, and
neither. can two plants grow together
without dividing the fertility 81 the soil
between them. And so a plant, what
ever it may be, that is out of place is a
weed, and purloins from the crop a
certain quantity of it's nutriment for ey-
cry leaf that it produces. Weeds
abound everywhere. They are so COM
mon that q man too often believes them
to be q necessary evil and one that he
fights against in vain. There are per-
sons who assume that weeds are sort
of human birthright, one Of the troubles
that man is born TO, and that they must
be accepted as an inevitable inheritance
left US by our first parent, Adam, and
all through his fall from grace: Taking
this view of it, they come to think thatit
is useless to expect and vain to try to
get the better of them, and look for
ward to the time when the soil will be
free of them. But this is an unreasona-
bic view to take of it, even in this light,
for if weeds come upon us as an Inherit
ed punishment for wrong-doing there Il
no reason why we ought not to take our
share of it, leash down." as it were,
pay up, and have done with it, instead
of meeting it in annual installments.
We know there is very prevalent
idea that it is hopeless to expect to clear
a farm or garden of weeds, or even to
approach so near to it that the labor
will be lightened to any considerable ex-
tent. But we have good reason to be
sure of the contrary. Five years con-
: slant work ina garden Of over two
acres, which was unusually weedy at the
beginning of that period, has so reduced
the weeds that the,crops have to be cul-
tivated for the sake of keeping the soil
loose and mellow, and not that the weeds
may be kept down. On the farm th(
same result has been reached, tosa LEST
extent, however, but there are no new
weeds to be killed in some of the fields
because every year no weed g0es tc
seed and the stock is diminishing. sc
that the cheerful hope may b had ou1
: that if q few years. work is devoted tt
, this object one may bring his land t
, such q condition Of cleanliness that i
1 may seem to justify the remark OF
: hired man who was ordered to cultivate
a field of corn. "What that corn
why, there's not weed in it. Tha
3 don't want hoeing." .-
And this leads us to remark that weeds
like all other things, good or bad, nav
>, their uses. They are not altogether bad
for, in the first place, If they did not eS
e list as q constant threat to the farme
IS some fields and some crops would suffe
: for want Of working the soil. We d
;. not properly realize the fact that ''til
II LACE is manure;'' that to work the so
e is to draw upon generous nature for
II bountiful supply of fertility. and tina
IS the more the soil is turned and mellowe
l. and exposed to the air and the warmt
10 of the sun and the /" sweet influences
% of the stars, by which the rich dews al
q brought to refresh and feed the so
!. during the cool hours Of the star.l
II night, when no clouds interfereto pr
~ vent the|radiation OF heat from TIA sol
y upon which the copious deposit OF de
!! DEFENDS, the more stAeArope grow an
ID thfiye: snd, also, when the FARMER, Sc
ne ing his corn.felds green with grass on
Is. the various weeds which 80 quick
lr spring up and cover the ground,
D. forced to 90. with, harrow, or cultivate
- and hoe and kill theseiwie6ds, he is 81
On ing vitality to the soil and life and heal
~ to his crops.
But there is another useful purpo
a. which weeds serve, and this is to furni
or 4 large amount Of manurial matter
the soil. When an oat-stubble, for
OF stance, is left for q few weeks after I
ed harvest and before the pillow is put in
% turn the soil for the rye or wheat, viii
ne follows this crop in our usual Rotate
~ the surface il quickly covered With +.
weed, smartweed, and various oil
lay kinds Of plants. We we'll remember
I'll! thrifty farmer OF Eastern Pennsylta
"a once 'congratulating himself upon |
10. luxuriant rsgweed which covered
len ost,stubble q being worth /, tor Or
SO. manure as much as . crop of clover, q
It vet costing him nothing. In this y
ing fthe farmer gains more than he wo
/. suspect. for the weeds gather from
not atmosphere and the soil . large anlo
gar Of fertlhzing matter which wndld OH
wise he lost R, ct least, would not b
ade been Made Svailabie. None sho
md doubt that thu gain y made ifoR wee
'rd' LEI him compare the rich virgin aoi]
rec the Western prsirie, Which fof Ye
nan he's bean covered with . thick KrpN p
Tor weeds, wild plants, and Ws1h fos 8
|eat every hue; the brilliant g6ldSn TOD,
'sh, starryasters, the graceful splfea
gorgeous heliauthus, the d6ybusn ]
the oopodiums, the smarsnthi sl11 Ah
ggss sand and ,one common sWaedsIi wi
VIII there reach to . surprising growth
the the favorable soil, and which carpet
Ar " earth with q dense mat iof green1
gold interviewer with threads Of
lede and purple, red and white.
NY. it is q great mistake TO supl
one the prairies to be grassy plsins; Il
salt: arc patches Of grass, It Ia true, but
ated greater part Of heritage consists Of
egg very weeds which the farmers q
both East ore 6ghting day By day and sp.
!. eat ing their lives trying g destroy. e
Ing nsre. q az, theSe .prairisss sniit
!. u. with tie remains of thee weeds,
dls9 tie barren plains further vest Eh re