Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-09-11
The Repression OF Weeds.


effect that those who would free then
selves from any bsrden must then
selves 10 the work There is. also. 4,
old fable extant Of 4 man who. callins
on the gods for help to extricafe his
cart from a mud hole, Was advised to
put his own shoulder to the wheel
Perhaps there IS no other class of per
sons 10 whom these examples apply
more closely and pertinently than
I farmers. for they certainly bear heavy
burdens grieyous TO be borne in the
shape of weeds and predaceous insects.
OF which they complain with justified
bitterness and vet DO not move 8 finger
to help themselves. just now. as
one passes along the roads and sees the
/ luxUi iant crops of wild carrots, rag
weed and thiStles fast ripening their
seeds. both on the rnadsidss ard in the
/ fields. and the low meadows and corn
/ fields filling up with smartwsed, beg
gar 5 ticks. and \ hundred various
/ Kinds whose names would not be recOg-
nized. he can not fail TO remark the
: careleSsness and the reckless unwisdOm
of the farmers who permit their crops
TO be lessoned and their time wasted BY
the overwhelming growth of these
mos. PeStiferous weeds. which. year
after year. ipea and shed their seeds,
10 stock the ground for n century to
come.
Few farmers take pains to learn
what weeds cost them. both in loss of
/ time and in loss of crop. We have
studied this subject 10 some extent dur
ing the past few years by carefully
keeping plots Of ground in various sue
cessive crops for several wears, and
/ noting the expense of thorough weed
/ ing in excess OF the usual cultivation in
the rows and the difference between
the crops on either plOs. and as well
one plot kept without anv crop. but
left 10 the weeds wholly. these, how
ever. being killed by cultivation when
/ only half grown. so that the persistence
/ of the plants from the stock of seed in
/ the ground could be noted The results
I arc curious. The difference OF yield OF
/ corn. carrots. potatoes and beets.
( grown with and without hand wedding.
/ Is nearly One-haif more IA favor of the
hand-weeled and hocd; but the extra
cost Of the wedding Is more than the
value of the extra crop gained- On the
/ plot left fallow but kept cultivated the
/ result depends very much upon the sea-
son, as in very dry weather the growth
/ IS very light. while in 4 wet season. rs
tie present, the growth of weeds after
seven years constant wedding IS more
/ abundant than at first. and yet no weed
has ever been permitted to ripen 4
seed or ever bloom. During these seven
years the persistence Of the weeds is re-
marksble- The first weeds which ap-
/ pear are chicSweed. wild radish. must
T ard and the common lambs garter;
I the next are purslane. crab-grass
I thaHicuHI SaHgE-gsEie). chiefly. with
smartweed; then come ragweed. and
! grass known ~ Eragrosfis pi'OsG. re e.
nizcd by its lead-cOlOred spikeiets. IS
[ the last of all There are seve-sl
Others, rs Wild carrot. beggar's ticSs
and the common spreading annual
/ grasses which are so abundant even
where. not 10 forget the ever present
white clover. IN \ wet season a nov
growth OF these weeds spring up within
few DAYS after the ground has be,n
plowed and raked free from all ile
former growth, and after seven years
there is 40 apparent diminutson in he
carrots and ragweed are abundant. :he
yearly mOwiugs OF these weeds dOnOt
diminish the stock. which IS NOR, or
less abundant Is the season is fsyonble
/ or otherwise.
It see-'s as though the old prorerb.
zone wears seeding makes nine ears'
wedding" hardly goes far enCugE but
.hen how many years seeding. year
after year. have there been2
In the struggle for existence farmers
are meeting with excessive competition. |
Just now il is a question whether II not
the American farmer. with all hs ad-
vantages. can compete will the
vretched, half-bar5arous East Indian
fyot or will be forced 10 90 to tie wall
before his competitor, who goes almost
naked and lives upon rice and pulse,
and whose wife ami children AMI him.
self too. are slaves in al but name. and
who can. therefore. grow what for
twenty cents n bushel. Were il not
that. while we have railroads aad every
civilized aid, the East Indian has none
Of these, our wheat wouh sell in the
worlds markets for fifty or sixty cents
a bushel. because of the excessive COM
petition. and the American farmer
would have-we we're about 10 write, 10
starve; but he would ayOid tla;, no
doubt. By turning his sttention % the
removal OF all his husdsns. Of which !
weeds are the chief, adding 20 bis labor
and reducing his crops When India
is provided with railroadsand its wheat
and corn fix the price Of these products
here the American farmer will have TO
lind a way to get rid Of lis abundant
sd costly weelis. and Il night l,e well I,
. begin learning how 10 de il sooa.-.