The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-01-14
RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for
Our Agricultural
Readers.
Information Of Value to the Farmer,
Stock Breeder, Housewife, and
Kitchen Maid.
AGRICULTURE.
uhnk Three needs 1... 10


Three weeds, of moderate size and
growth. will occupy as mucn ground, draw
as much nutrlment from IT. take in as much
OF the me- giving sunlight and of the food
gearing atmosphere as good stalk of corn.
III must be rich and strong soil that can
stand the full draft of two crops growing
ON 1t at the same time, one of corn and
one of weeds, and yet stint neither of them.
Ihe rays of sun, so necessary 10 the life
ana growth of nearly all vegetation, of all
crops, come to the plants IN direct lines,
and 1t interrupted by the stalks or leaves
OF weeds, cannot go around them to reach
the corn. The carbonic acid of the air is
the great supplier of the main portion of
all crops, both stalks, leaves, and roots
but this carbonic acid exists in very small
quantities IN the AIR, only about one quart
or IL In 2,5OO quarts of mir. Air must be
moving quite rapidly to bring in enough of
this gaseous carbonic acid to SUNNY the
wants of n ready-growing corn stalk
whole gallon of the carbonic acid weighs
only li3 small grains. of which it takes
5000 to weigh a pound. Now, if weed
leaves stand along with, or near corn
leaves, they steal away good deal of this
carbonic acid that corn leaves want; ana il
is only when the wind is blowing strongly
that enough comes to meet the wants of
both corn stalks and weeds. he practical
lesson OF this is that every weed growing
with or near the corn Is robbng it Of the
very things it wants from the soil and from
the air, and is also stealing some Of its
needed sunlight
Sixty TO seventy corn stalks yield on an
average about a bnsie OF corn. Two hun
bred weeds, on the same ground, use all
the materials that are needed by corn
stalks enough to produce n bushel of corn.
h.a oil ,.l-,,., a
who cannot with hoe cut and kill 1000
weeds III day, if he takes them when
small.
The evident lesson from this is, shat
after we have used the horse implements
to Kill out what weeds we can without 60
ing down to disturb the young ~oots of
corn, 1t viii pay grandly to have III, N 90
over the ground with hoes ami remove the
last weeds which are left. If one man kiils
2,ouu weeds in day, he has DESTROYED
sufficient number Of thieves to steal from
the soil. the air, and the sunlight, which
would support stalks enough to yield ten
bushels of corn, worth 81 or 81. If the
weeds are not large enough and growing
thlokly enough to rob the corn of all it's
needed earth, air, and sunlight, vet every
weed that does grow is doing something to
diminish the health, vigor, growth, and
ultimate yield of corn.
Brethren, think of these things, and keep
the hoe going now. Look upon every weed
allowed TO grow up as being as much a
robber of your crop as is the thief who
takes it at night out of your corn crib,
with only this difference, that the weeds
rob the field in open daylight, right be-
fore your eyes, and when you at perfect
liberty 20 murder them without mercy and
without any formality of dragging them
before courts of law.-Prdifje FdTmer.