Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-04-30
FARM MANAGEMENT.
Why Is Much Easier to Introduce Weeds on
Farm Than to Eradicate Theln-Geuer-
al Farm Miscellany.
The Battle With Weeds.

tivatcd crops One is increasing the
growth of the plants that are planted,
and tho other is the destruction of
those that are of no value or are abso-
lutcly harmful. Now, rs in the days
when the bible was written, wheat
and tarcs are likely to be found grow
ing in the same field. The portions of
this or any other country that pro-
duCc the largest desirable crops also
produce the largest crops of weeds.
A soil and climate that are favorable
to the production of corn and pota-
toes are equally favorable to the pro.
duction of rag-wced and cockle-bur,
The better land is prepared and fer.
tilted, the more certain it is to pro-
duce large amount of weeds. Some
of the most troublesome weeds, like
the purslanc and common plantain,
only flourish on land that is in excel
lent condition to produce large crops
Of vegetables, flowers or grain They
are rarely found on land that is deiic-
lent in the elements of fertility or
which is not in good condition in re-
gard to friability. They are very
common in gardens where the soil has
been carefully enriched and turned
with the spade, but are seldom found
on poor land devoted to pasturagc.
Many OF our most troublesome plants
would become very scarce if the land
on which they are found was allowed
to return to its original condition.
A considerable portion OF the last
report Of the Ohio agricultural eXper-
iment station is devoted to the sub
ject of weeds. The article on this
subject considers the methods by
which weeds arc Introduced, dissent
mated, and propagated, their habits
of growth and duration of life,
and the best methods of destroy
ing them. 1t is shown that of the 1872
weeds found in Ohio llj were brought
from Europe. Most of them "came
over' in packing material on mixed
with the seed of plants designed for
cultivation. American weeds have
been introduced into every country in
the world with which we have COM
mcrcial intercourse. Several of our
most troublesome weeds were intro.
duced during our war for indcpcnd.
ence. These seeds were in the grain
or fodder employed for feeding Eng
lish colony horses. Every war causes
the introduction of weeds. If but Il
small number of any kind of weeds
obtain foothold they are certain to
become very common. Nearly all
kind of plants produce great num-
her of seeds. The officers OF the Ohio
station made their examinations in the
valley of the SciOto. where the soil is
naturally very rich and where weeds
obtain greater size than in most
parts Of the country. They found
that single specimen of the weed,
generally known as the shcphcrd's $
purse, produced $1,000 seeds, Il dan
dclion produced Il, lO3 seeds, a com
mon thistle G3, 3GG, 4 rag-wccd 1896, a
purslanc plant 3SS, 800, n burdock 49,
0S6, and common plantain i3, 200.
The possibilities of increase in some
of these plants are enormous. OF
course, some of the seeds counted or
estimated were imperfect, and would
not be likely TO germinate under the
most favorable conditions. Still, if
only half of them we're perfect, it fol-
lows that one plant may in few years
be the means OF seeding an entire
state, Birds and animals will dovour
the seeds of nearly all the cultivated
plants If they can get a chance, but
they do not eat the seeds of weeds.
In most cases they have disagree
able taste, which prevents them from
being eaten. They nearly all possess
wonderful vitality, The terminating
power of all the grains is destroyed
by cold and moisture. They may be
buried for years, but they will sprout
and produce vigorous plants us soon
as they are brought near the surface
of the ground. A large proportion of
them will pass through the organs of
digestion without injury to their vital
ity, and will germinate in the drop
pings of the animal that devoured
them. The increase in the number of
weeds is largely due to the wonderful
vitality of their seeds or their power
of preservation.
Tho seeds of weeds are disseminated
by the wind and by other sources of
nature, as running water. Birds carry
many of them from place to place.
Some of them are provided with hooks,
by means of which they attach them
selves to birds and animals. Every
farmer sows weeds with his grain.
Weeds are introduced into every new
section of the country by means of the
seed grain obtained at distance, Too
little attention is given to the matter
of obtaining clean seed. Farmers also
introduce the seeds of weeds in their
fields by means of the manure they
apply to them. If stable manure con-
talns foul seed II should bO Composited
year before it is incorporated with
the soil. Many farmers who keep
their cultivated fields tolerably clean,
and who take pains to destroy the
weeds In grain-helds after the crop is
harvested, allow large plantations of
weeds to remain undisturbed during
the entire season. While the cultivator
is running between the rows of corn
and the hoe is used in the garden for
the purpose of keeping the ground
free from weeds, these plants are
growing and maturing seeds along the
sides of the field, in fence-corners,
among the manure heaps, and along
the sides of the road. The seeds of
these weeds will spring up in the cul-
tivated portions of the farm next sea-
son.
1t is much easier to prevent the
growth of weeds than to destroy them
after they have attained considerable
size. Clean culture becomes easier
the longer it is practiced. A new
farm should be kept free from weeds
from the start. If any appear they
should be destroyed before they bios
som. Many kinds of weeds are very
deceptive in respect to the time their
seeds mature. Tho blossoms all dis
appear from plants producing grain
and the stalks begin to assume yell
low color before the kernels are sufi-
cently mature to germinate if placed
in the soil. This is not the case with
most weeds. They continue to grow
and remain green till they are killed
by bite of frost. During most of
this timo they arc ripenlng Seeds
Buds, blossoms, and ripe seed are all
on tho same branch, and often within
an inch of each othor at the same time.
If tho plant is not killed while 1t Is