Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-07-08
Cutting Weeds in Having Time.

amount of time each year to destroying
the weeds that grow on their places. and
on this account they wonder that they
increase so rapidly. They keep their
corn fields clean, or at least do so till
quite late in the season. Many burn
their grain stubble in the fall, with a
view of destroying all the seeds of weeds
that have matured. Not a few NOW
their pastures after haying is over, so as
to prevent the weeds growing there
from ripening their seeds. Sometimes a
farmer "takes day" during the fall for
moving the weeds that grow in the door
yard and about the farm buildings.
Sometimes they are collected in heaps
and burned after they become dry, but
in the majority of cases they remain
where they were cut off or are thrown
into the barn yard or hog pen. 1t ap-
pears to be taken for granted that the
seeds of weeds will be destroyed if they
are devoured by animals or if they are
tumbled under their feet. Still, every
observer has noticed that many kinds of
weeds spring up from the droppings of
cattle and that old dung heaps are cow
cred with weeds. These things afford
evidence that the vitality of many kinds
of seeds is not destroyed by passing
through animals.
There are many reasons why weeds
increase on farms, Notwithstanding the
efforts made to keep them in subsection
or to exterminate them Most kinds of
weeds are very prolific. They produce
thousandfold, while crops cultivated
for their seed, like wheat and rye, pro-
duee but ten. twenty. or thirty times the
amount that was planted. The seeds of
weeds are endowed with wonderful VIZ
tality. They will endure freezing and
thawing with impunity. They will
spread after they have been watered
soaked for many months. They do not
lose their terminating power by being
buried in the ground for several years.
Few of them are destroyed as the culti-
waited grains are. Birds that have the
power of digesting them do not care to
eat them. The plants themselves have
great powers of endurance. They will
thrive during drought that will pre-
vent the growth not only of cultivated
plants. but of grasses and clovers. They
will grow where fields are flooded to
such an extent that corn, potatoes and
wheat are killed. Ordinary winds pro-
duce no Injurious effects on most kinds
of weeds. Almost any kind of season
seems to be favorable one for the weed
crop. There has been no entire failure
of a crop of any sort of weeds since the
country was first settled.
Many plants classed as weeds COM
mence to ripen seed very early ia the |
season and continue to mature them un-
til they are killed by the frost. Some
are very deceptive about the time they
produce seed sufficiently mature to GER
inmate. Hard or well formed seed may
be found at the base of flowers that show
no signs of falling from the stalks. Many
weeds will ripen their seeds if they are
pulled up when the first blossoms appear
on them. The sap contained in the
stalks and leaves will be appropriated to
the seeds that were in process of formar
tion when the plants were pulled from
the ground or were cut off. Many weeds
cut by the scI the or hoe close to the
ground will throw up sprouts, as trees
and bushes do, which will mature seed
in the course OF the season. Several
kinds of weeds will take root after they
have been pulled out of the ground. A
great naturalist has shown that the AMI
mails that are of the least value to the
world. or which are positively injurious,
have the strongest hold on life. They
will continue to live under circumstances
that would kill creatures that are of
value to mankind. The same is true in
relation to the plants known as weeds.
A great mistake is made by many who
desire to keep their farms in good con-
dition in respect to weeds. in allowing
them to grow too long. No attention is
given to eradicating weeds during the
season of cutting grain or grass. During
this season they make vigorous growth,
and often perfect aHd drop their seed.
Another mistake is that of allowing
portions of plowed land to remain with
out being seeded to valuable crops.
There is often strip Of land at the end