The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-29
HOW no DESTROY WEEDS.

labor
j. A. COUNTRYMAN.
HOW TO DESTROY WEEDS.
At the Roseville (Pa) farmers meeting
last week the main topic was weeds and
the prize the pennsylvania raiirod has
offered Tor the best kept farm Iand along
its lines.
There We're various ways and means of
warfare tod or, but all were agreed that
snpddlnS, otherwise striking al the root
Oh the eVll, was easiest ana best, dno as
good as golf Ior exercise a spud seemed
10 be the handle OF Il pltchtoik, or hoe or
SPADE, or any other Droken-on 1901 10
wnlch sharp chisei-like blade could be
put on by the blacksmith, out there were
preferences as 10 the shape OF this blade.
A nalf circle, ii was agreed, was betler
IMAM the whole, but no one could find a
reason Tor abandoning the straight Dlade,
or as they called Ii, Dewey spuu.
BUT TO be most effective without prov
ing a WEAKNESS, they all said the Spud
must De OF good metal the slant not 100
abrupt, and be kept sharp. To use the
spua, bend over the weed, if it is tail
enough, with the foot and strike through
the stalk below the surface with the spud.
IL young growths, strike with the spud
sldewlse also beneath the surface TO
sever root from top.
Morris G.lllngham told how his boys
had Deen coming money this spring spud-
ulng COCK and Lettles at ~ cents a hun
sharp lookout, as the contract called for a
cent a apiece Tor each plant OF either
found within the boundaries of June l,
and 10 cents apiece for everyone that was
allowed TO go TO seed.
To increase and multiply said Farm
er Mann, was the divine command and
IL is IN obedience to it that All nature
makes the supreme effort, struggling for
Ire and using the life only to perpetuate
itself; TO have itself in its SUGGESTIONS to
snow for its existence. Nothing exists
for itself alone, but little by little we
are hndlns out that each plant has rea-
ions 10 some other form of life, and these
TO others Sometimes these forms of life
are against mans interests. Sometimes
they are co-workerS with him, and il is
the wise man who learns to distinguish
foes and friends, and TO destroy the one
and protect the other.
But we are not all wise. We do not
even use the faculties that have been
given us We have eyes, but instead of
looking all about and into the wonderful
works of nature, more wonderful than
anything man has devised, we, like beasts
wearing binders. see only that which is
before the nose, and sometimes not
enough OF that TO keep from stumbling
We have ears, too but we hear not Ma
ture has laws which must not be trans
crossed, and our ignorance will not save
us from the penalties We know weeds
TO be robbers, in taking food and drink
from the plants and shrubs and trees to
which we have given the land as right
1ul tenants. But this is as nothing COM
pared with the real harm they do in
serving as boarding houses for the in
sects and fungi which go further in de-
Stroying those rightful tenants When we
rid our nelds. fence corners and road
sides of weeds, we rid them also of the
insects which feed and breed upon them
and which, without them, must die.
The worm nests in the trees by the
waySlde may not be on our property, but
the worms that are Matched therefrom
] md
nothing to the world at large that should
lead US to destroy them, we owe it to
ourselves, as protection from a possible
danger. l know it seems like an hercu-
lean task to rid the world of it's insects
and its fungus disease, but if we will
each keep our fields and roadsides Clean
and counting it a common evil, destroy
all that we find along our way, we shall
at least have clean neighborhood, and in
our increased prosperity be an example
others may see fit to follow.
THE time will come when insect-harbor-
ing weeds and the host plants of de-
structive fungi will be recognized as men
aces to property, and the law will de-
mand their destruction. AS it is they
are an indication of shiftlessness when
either in the fence corners or by the road
sides of a farm
II know a farmer" said Chairman
Dobbs, and everyone seemed to know that
he meant the last speaker, who carries
peculiar cane. 1t is hollow and widens
out at the bottom. On the top is a mental
knob of a. size to be comfortable to the
hand, and between this and the wood of
the cane is a pretty stiff spring. Fast
to the knob and extending down through
the cane is piece Of steel with the bot
tom broadened out and ground off like
chisel. When this farmer in his travels
sees noxious weed he tramps it down
and planting the cane over the stalk at
| the root, presses on the knob and the
spud has done its work.
He also pays cash down for every
worms nest brought to him in a cloth or
paper bag. and for cocoons and grubs.
His chicken houses are built, some on
runners and some one homemade trucks,
with cheap wheels, and before he begins
blowing or harvesting the chicken house
is hauled to the field and is ready to be
! opened as soon as the men are ready to
work. He says it don't take as much
time to haul out the chicken house as II
would TO spray dust after the insects get
! to work, and the chickens pay for their
picnic in eggs When / was ready to plow
! up the sod in my west field he sent his
chicken house over. and the quantities
| of grubs those hens put away was a
caution. When / cross plowed / had a
chicken house of my own hauled over