Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-07-09
Agritnltnsal Separtment,
WEEDS.

the best time to destroy weeds is when
they are young and tender, and therefore
wedding in field and garden should be be-
gun early. If the corn had been so plant
both ways, and on smooth land it should
always be so, this method OF destroying
weeds will answer, and it can be done at
but little cost. As soon as the corn breaks
the ground so that the rows can be
traced, if weeds are also starting, the
land should be cultivated, and if the i'm
plement comes so near the corn-bladeS as
to cause them to fall over, it will do no
harm; they will soon rally and grow all
the better for having been disturbed.
Weeds extract nourishment from the soil
which should 90 to nourish the crop; if
destroyed when young, they have done
but little harm, but if allowed to remain
until they have become strong, they have
robbed the crop, and can make no return
until they are decomposed, which will not
be in time for the present season.
The question is often asked why weeds
spring up so vigorously, and have such
tenacity of life, while our valuable crops
come up so reluctantly, and must be ten
derby nHrsed before they get sufficiently
rooted to take care of themselves. They
have been likened to the temptations that
beSet our pathway in life, and which
seem to spring mp promiscuously and re-
quire our constant care to keep from do
ing US harm. 1t must be remembered
that our common weeds are indigenous
to the soil, while nearly all our farm crops
are eXotics, brought over from distant
lands, and though long cultivated here
are never at home. This may account in
part for the difference in termination and
early growth between weeds and our
useful plants; but the fact still remains
however, that our most noXious and
troublesome weeds came from Europe,
and Notwithstanding their foreign ex-
traction, they at once grow and flourish
here as though they were natives.
But even weeds have their place in the
vegetable economy and are not an I'M
mixed evil. While weeds grow luxuriant-
ly upon an unclean spot, we have no fears
of malarial or miasmatic poisoning there
from, for these rank weeds take up air
the noisome exalations and render them
innocuous. But in order that the seeds
of such weeds may not spread to the
neighboring garden or fields, they should
be moved down before maturing their
seed. Weeds also subserve another good
purpose in forcing US in order to check
thems to stir the soil around our young
crops, which is very essential and which
but for the weeds, we might not do. The
seeds of weeds will lie dormant in the
soil for years, and crop after crop will
come up in single season, rendering
constant cultivation necessary to the
success of our field crops.
But as whole, noXious weeds are the
enemies of the farmer, and those against
which an unrelenting and extreminating
war should be waged. The cultivator
should be the main reliance for destroy
ing them, but the band hoe will often be
required TO complete the work. And to
prevent their spreading, the margins of
the fields and the road sides should be
carefully looked to and no weeds allowed
to mature their seeds.-Mdine Farmer.