Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-12-19
sHsgP As BUSH AND WEED DE-
SrROvGRS.


additional may well be said. Here 10
the Wet we arc not much troubled with
brlers and bushes. Our field pests are
weeds. or these weeds, the most pestif-
erous is the cockleburr. Our fields
probably grow more rsg-weeds, but the
rag-weod nevertheless does not amount
to much except In stubble or pasture
fields after harvest. Apparently It can
not nourlsh until the hot midsummer
sun has made the ground dry aud hard
and warm. Certainly II is not an early
weed. have never known Il to Inter
fere seriously with the cultivation Of =
crop or to reduce yield. Sad to say,
this cannot be said OF the cockleburr.
IL starts early and IL stays late. One
finds it growing nicely before the plows
can be started in the spring, and one
can nnd it just starting In the Indian
summer that follows the first frosts.
This Il most persistent weed. One can
easily discourage the rag.weed, but the
more you cultivate the corn the more
numerous and thrifty become the cookie
burrs, 90 II seems. The fight against the
cockleburr, when field has become
well seeded to Il, Il almost hopeless, II
sheep are not used. I have known Ger
man and "Pennsylvanla Dutch" farmers
to fight the cockieburr for ten years and
then their land would still be foul with
it. And We think that when German
or Pennsylvania Dutch farmer cannot
kill out weeds there IL no use for any one
else to attempt that job.
II uudisturbed, the cockleburr becomes
quite lordly weed. Yet II Il not the
6igness Of its growth, but the smallness
Of its growth, that makes IL so pestifer-
Gus. AZ the fall approaches, this weed,
apparently knowing that Its life must be
short, does not try to grow big, but tries
only too successfully to grow to ma
turity. "when the frost iso the pump
kin and the corn IL In the shock" one
can find cockleburrs less than six inches
high bearing half q dozen pods chock-
full Of seeds that win grow. These lit
tie fellows come up thickly In the fields
after the cultivation OF the corn IL
finished, or even In the wheat fields
after the wheat is sown. They spring
up very rapidly In our rich soil. To
NOW or cut or pull them IL Impractical
BILE; and though one tried to do 1t, EN-.
ploylng help for the purpose, many OF
the little weeds would be overlooked
among the pumpkin vines or close
against the corn. Enough would escape
to foul the land for the next year.
But very few indeed escape a flock OF
the right sort Of sheep. No other farm
animal will touch this weed. though
very hungry indeed. ] do not think that
the sheep "hsnkers" after the cookie
burr, but II eats II readily enough. Its
keen scent and sharp nose do not allow
many to escape. Aud It does the work
for nothing. Il makes II possible to
have the work done. 1.-THE stubble deld
is infested with this weed the sheep
should be turned In as soon as the grain
Ia cut, and be kept 10 until freezing
weather. II the infested field Is to br
put Ia wheat, the sheep should be kept
on the ground until the wheat peeps
above the surface. II the corn Is not
lodged, the sheep can be
turned Into the cornfield shortly AFTER
harvest, and be kept there as long as
there is probability Of cockleburr
springing up. The sheep Will take on
ONLY the lower blades, and this does not,
I think, lessen the yield. As II may
hasten the maturity Of the corn II might
be an advantage.
or course the sheep are just 1 de-
structive to other weeds. speak OF the
cockleburr because Il Il the weed hardest
for us to exterminate-it is almost Inn
possible to get rid Of Il without sheep
and not difficult with sheep. a very
weed In unusually rich
spots-about old buildings or In Old
feeding lots-ls the "yelvet leaf" i
fought three acres OF velvet leaf for ten
wears; I pulled every weed that ] could
find before II formed seeds-I have
pulled these weeds till my finger ends
were worn to the quick and bleeding
and at the end Of ten years there were
some Of these weeds remaining. An
other patch the sheep cleared up in ak
or seven years without much attention
from me. One of the deep regrets OF
nv life Il, aud always will be, that did
not know how to use sheep eleven years
before begsn my ten years night on
that patch Of velvet leaf. No other farm
animal will eat this weed. Sheep will
Kill out the jlmson weed-not so muci'
by eating AS by trampliug. With u
the iimson weed delights In only u
Ioamy, loose soil; hard trampling ].
highly injurious toit.
Sheep not only clean the land, the,
manure IL. On account OF the way IN
which they distribute their manure, the'
are superior to any other farm animal
Tor enrichlng land. Turn hogs Into >
field aud they will soon select sOm'
corner, In which they Will deposit the
greater part OF their excrement. Th
or and the horse deposit their excrr-
ment In heap. The sheep scatters IT,
over the ground. This Is decided ad'
vantage.
Another reason why sheep are /"
valuable In cleaning and enriching lane
Ia that they will get their living from
herbage of such quality and 80 scanl
that other farm snimals would starv'
upon II. Sheep can be put on po0'
ground. While no animal Ia more sub
stsntially grateful for good food, nc
other farm animal will do rs much VIII
poor food.
For cleaning up land the Merino j.
better than any Of the English breeds
Centuries of life In Spain have made 1t
better rustler and not so fastidlou'
about Its food. IL will also stand ex'
posure better and IL not so.apt to suhe'
from the unsanitary conditions that frr>
queutly exist on foul land. But the Eng
lish breeds can be used to advantage
On land foul with the cockleburr a NUT
ton sheep may be preferable; as tn.
WOOL will be damsged to such an exten
that the meat disposition is a welghtI
consideration; aud on smooth, ievel
land, such as We have generally In tn
West, the mutton sheep will rustic wei
and allow few weeds to escape. Or
hilly, rocky and briery land would b
more favorsbly disposed toward tn
Meriuo.-Cor. Country Gentleman.
AMERICAN HAY IN GERMANY.