Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-06-13
fected by the action of the compost

lecteu Dy the acuOn OF tne compost
heap?
Acknowledging settled the point
that weed seeds are not destroyed by
the action of the digestive organs Of
animals, it becomes important to
know how their vitality may be de-
strOyed. A series of experiments
were carried out, the result of which |
is, that seeds are destroyed if exposed |
to temperature of 80 degrees to 10
degrees f. for from five toseven days |
in moist compost heap. In a dry
compost heap, where the tempera-
ture runs as high as the above, the
seeds were found but little injured. |
The tests were applied only to the
above named seeds, but it is probable
that the results would be the same
upon others, as these are among the
seeds of the greatest vitality. The
efficiency of this mode of destruction
depends upon the maintenance of
continued temperature and moisture,
which will cause the seeds to either
terminate and then decay, or to de-
cay before terminating. The amount
of moisture can be easily regulated,
and by properly working over any
pile of compost containing a large
amount Of organic matter, the re-
quired amount of heat may be OBJ
tanned. From the above expert
ments, it would seem doubtful if the
practice of keeping swine upon ma
nme piles to cause slow decomposi-
ton is the best for manure contain
ing weed seeds. 1t is also doubtful if
the seeds of weeds often put into the
pens where pigs are kept will be de-
strOyed by the action of the little
heat there generated. 1t would prob
ably be safer in both of the above
cases to compost the manure in large
piles before using it upon the land.
3. At what stage of the blooming
are the seeds of the white daisy (leu-
conthem,ta Uulgdre) natural enough
to terminate?
ANswER-This weed has become
so abundant in the grass land ofsome
sections, that it must be cut with the
grass, and it becomes important to
know if it can be cut with the grass
before the seeds mature. After a Sc
ries of careful examinations it has
been decided that when the flower
first reaches its full expansion, few or
no seeds are mature enough to germi-
nate, but that it requires only few
days to mature to full ripeness. In
view of these facts it would not seem
safe for the farmer to depend wholly
upon the early stage of the cutting,
} but to afterwards compost all ma
nures made from fodder containing
weed seeds of any kind.
With increased acreages of clover
= and grass, information concerning
} pestiferOus weeds which infest mea-
dows becomes of greater Importance.
The "white daisy" or oxeye daisy,
as it is sometimes called, has become
quite pest in some portions of Geor-
gia. Wild carrot has also been quite
, largely introduced, its seeds being
mixed with those of red clover,
These, and those of like pestiferOus
: weeds, get mixed with farm-yard ma.
nure, either from being in fodder OF
eaten by animals in fields and pas.
$ tured. Hence there is always some
9 risk in applying barnyard manure tC
grass and clover fields. The above
points out how the danger may be
: obviated. Put manure in heaps
/ wet it well and let it heat to 100 t
o 10 degrees, and the vitality Of the
!. seeds will be destroyed. That tenn
u perature is such as would be decided
Il ly warm to the land, but not too no
IL to be borne. j.