Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-08-01
N EXPERIENCE WITH WEEDS.

N EXPERIENCE WITH WEEDS
Very few farmers realize the fact that
IL costa just a. much to grow a crop oi
weeds and ripen the seed, as Il does to
grow any other crop, without taking
Into consideration what IL costs to get
rid OF the result. Many field oi
corn Il neglected after the regulation
number Of hoelngs and cultivatlngs are
finished. The cultivating Of crop u
not complete until Il IL harvested, and II
weeds appear after the crop is 80 far
advanced that the horse cannot be used,
the hoe must be used as vigorously as
necessity requires. The loss, by allow
Ing weeds to grow In among other crops,
is much greater than is generally sup
posed.
Last spring an acquaintance planted
one and 'seven-eighth acres with cab
bage for seed. Another set out two
acres. The soil was prepared In the
same way and In the same condition.
The plants put out were OF the same
variety, and In all respects equal. Each
had the same start, and until the plants
came into bloom, were equally promls-
Ing. When the cultivator had finished
Its work, the latter paid no further at
tention to the crop, but the former con-
tlnued the work Of destroying weeds
until the crop was nearly ready for har-
vest. And when the crop was cleared
from the land, the ground WAS compars-
lively clean. Long before AS crop was
ready to cut, the weeds were higher
than the cabbage. The result WAS that
the thorough wedding gave nearly l,sOO
pounds Of seed, and the poor cultivating
gave little less than 300 pounds. The
facts In the case were, that the weeds
took the plant-food from the soil that
the cabbage required, and should have
had for the development Of the seed. In
this instance, not more than six days
work would have been re equired TO have
given the farmer 500 more for his crop.
Weeds In the corn field are just as un-
profitable "a In the cabbage field; the
farmer that keeps his fields the cleanest
invariably has the best crop, not ouly
Of the grain but the fodder as well. The
weed Ia a persistent robber, and Is not
at all discriminating; Ii claims the earth
as It's own, and will fight for possession
with whatever useful plant that IL In
troduced. The wayslde weed Il no less
a robber, and should not be tolerated
Il ursurps the place Of beautiful and use
ful grass, and ripens Its seeds, which
are disseminated through the agency
of the winds aud birds for miles around.
Laws have been enacted, making II bind
Ing upon every land-holder to cut all the
weeds on the roadside adjoining his
Where II IL, or has been, re-
spected, marked difference In the ap-
pearanee In the roadside is manifest.
Where once the rsgweed and Wild
chicory grew rampant, are now seen
beautiful grass-plats, which add greatly
to the appearance Of the farm, as well
as to lts actual value.
The law Il not far-reachlng enough,
and should extend to waste places OF
the field. the weeds breeding ground.
When We see how rapidly and widely
seeds are scattered by the wind we can
realize the difficulty the farmer has to
keep his farm clean, when he has SLOW
enly neighbors. Weeds are nuisance,
aud no man has right to tolerate them
On his farm, 10 annoy his nelghbor.-l
American Agriculturist.