The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-11-17
COLUMN.
Destroying Weeds.

There are three modes of dealing with
weeds on farms: l. allowing them free
range-a common and bad way; 2, struggl-
Ing against them with partial success. This
treatment is very common even among
many good farmers. 1t will do for some
weeds which are not rmidable, such as
common grass in corn field. With other
weeds, such as Canada thistle, 1t Is expen-
sive. As with fire in a city, IL is cheaper
to make thorough work and not to leave
any vestge to break out again. Hence in
many cases it is better TO adopt a third
mode, and effect clean sweep. Farmers
Of the second class above described say,
"This cannot be done; we have tried it,
This is correct so far as their imperfect mode
was concerned. / have often asked such
farmers why, after destroying nne-tenths
Of the weeds, they could not finish the
tenth? It is because they have long adopt
ed the habit of being satisfied with partial
work. once gave a hired man a piece Of
work Mt hoeing weeds in a garden, and
knowing his imperfect habit Offered an
additional doller to his days wages il !
could not find a hundred living weeds after
him. He did not set the dollar! It is the
same old habit with so many farmers
! think it is BAD doctrine for any writer
to hold before readers that spreading weeds
cannot be wholly extirpated. 1t tends to
mnintain and perpetuate loose practices. Il
is asserted that Canada thstes "have stead
lily increased, even on farms where all the
rules for their destruction have been fifth.
fully Observed" | have no doubt that
farmers have tired to observe these rules
but between old habits and such obstruc
tions as stumps and stones, there has been
a failure. Let Inc cite q few examples:
A few miles from my residence is farm
Of over one hundred acres. The owner did
not believe that Canada thistes could lie
killed, and he accordingly did not "wos;e"
needlss labor TO destroy them. He let them
have their own way, and gradually Il e
whole farm was nearly covered. That
farm became noted for its broad crop of
these thistles. /: then fell into new hands,
and was subjected to a new treatment. The
manager did not adopt the long interval
practice Of allowing thistles to get some
headway between the plowIngs. He put
them completely under and made them
stay there. Fences were removed SO that
all the thstles could be reached. | often
pass that farm now, but | see no thistles on
it. killed patch OF an acre of Canada
lhstles in one season, and none ever cam,
aiterward. In another year | thoroughly
destroyed another patch of five acres.
have known the thing done so often that il
is hardly necessary to multiply statements
rheground was such as 10 admit ofunbroke ,
plowing. Among rocks Gud stumps
night be impracticable. haye known 4
some farmers who asserted that they tried
it and failed, but found on examination
that theypursued the half slip shod course ct
allowing snmo weeds to peep between plow
Jugs. | have seen large field of quacb
grass completely cleared in one season bu
it was done by thorough work, which is al
ways the cheapest. l have seen two farm,
in the midst Of a country white with oxey,
daisy, and on these two farms not a plum
Of this weed could be found, The thorough
system pursued was not a costly one. T e
all summer fallows, with weeds between, s
poor, slip shod way. Thorough, Fl e
pulyerization and close work is what is
wanted on all.summer fallows.-AohE, N
Country Gentleman.