Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-12-30
ERIN FARM ERS.

down upon the western FARMER Win
its legions that he is already in many
instances so completely conquered
that in despair he has given up the
fight. He is not only ready to say
that after all weeds do not injure tho
crop to any great extent, but he has
come to that most hopeless of con-
illusions in agriculture, viz, that they
cannot be eXterminated.
Nor will it suffice TO answer that
the extraordinary development of
weed life is owing to the extraordin-
airy fertility of soil, for natural capa-
bilities of the soil are incapable of sus-
tanning weed life in its most offensive
forms in the face of first-class farm
ing. Shame on that farming which
concludes that weeds can not be over
come, or that it will not pay the
/ farmer to overcome them. That
philosophy should hang its head in a
shady place that teaches that after all
our noxious weeds do not work much
harm. At the risk of being called en-
thusiast and crank and alarmist, can
not refrain from exclaiming that am
/ glad that am yet alive to lift up my
voice against the amazing indifference
OF the farmers of so great continent
In reference to the prevalence of weed
| life.
1t need not be so. The continent
could be practically cleared of the
more offensive forms of weed life in
few short years if the farmers were
determined that it should be so, and
this great deliverance could be brought
about without the loss of single
crop 1t is greatly comforting to
know that amid thousands of varie-
ties of weeds that infest this CONT
nent not more probably than a score
are able to stand up against what may
be termed good farming. In other
words, not more probably than a score
of these require specific modes of
cultivation for their eradication.
! OF all the forms or weed life in the
West which are troublesome and great
/ ly aggressive ragweed is the worst
/ would unhesitatingly crown ragweed
king among the abominable weed pests
that harass the Western farmer Far
{ OC ~ llOlh W bdl OuC WOIo llas
would lead your farmers to look upon
the invasion of the Canada thistle with
indifference, but / am free to say at
the same time that l regard ragweed
as far worse foe to fight than the
Canada thistle. The Canada thistle
can be completely eradicated in two
years and without the loss of one pay
ipor croy Th,o oanpAt Ia eafd ~ yor-
weed when it has once got a firm foot
hold.
1t is not the purpose of this paper to
give the modes of obliterating the
more noxious forms of weed life. To
do that would be to write a volume.
My object is to sound the alarm in
the hope of drawing attention to the
question. But it may accomplish
something to refer to two or three
things, which, if but generally prac-
ticed, will accomplish much in reduc-
ing weed 1ife.s THOUSANDS and tens of
THOUSAND # htp 4a3bf givFn 'tbs
opaortuditd to, turp dleh mo hutton
A to feed thd epicure In Eastern cities
! The mower may run bxlr thel pastures
at least >once year. and over the
newly sown meadows The scythe
can do its work in fence corners and
by-places. Autumn cultivation can
bury the unripe weeds in millions
after harvest The corn may be kept
clean instead of half clean, and the
agricultural colleges by the force of
precept and example can Undue
the young men who attend them with
an undying hate in regard to all the
troublesome forms of weed life, inso-
much that when they GO back to their
farms they will wage war of exter-
ininatidn against the hateful intruders-
SONY hen say they have no time to
do these things; have heard men say
they had no time TO attend to their
devotions, but never yet did l believe
them. shall close this paper by sub
hitting the following propositions: /.
The troublesome forms of weed life
can be obliterated. 2. This can be
accomplished without the loss of a
single crop; that is to say without
emitting one crop for single season.
B. 1t will pay the farmer to obligate
noxious weeds IL he intends to remain
long upon the farm. And 4. A farmer
can make more money who keeps his
farm clean sthan one who does not,
other things being equal
More of Green Manuring.
There is quite a good deal OF what
approaches to nonsense written now