The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-09-23
this is especially true of home dairy
ing. Western Rural.
METHODS FOR KILLING WEEDS.

METHODS FOR KILLING WEEDS.
II weeds cannot be completely exter-
minqted they may be brought under
subjection, and in restricted localities
this subjeciion may approach so near
to determination as to prevent any
material damage without requiring
appreciable extra labor. IL the weed,
like many of our most abundant kinds,
is an annual, reproducing itself from
the seeds only aud dying root and
branch each year, it may be subjected
by preventing seed production. The
seeds of many ANNALS retain their
vitality for several years, so that if
they once become abundant in the soil
they are likely to germinate at irregu.
lar intervals, and thus cause trouble
for long time, even though no fresh
seed is introduced. In this case merely
preventing the production of seed will
gradually reduce the quantity of weeds
and will prevent any further spreading.
A thousand young seedlings may be
destroyed in this manner by the cult.
vator with less effort than a single ma
ture plant can be destroyed, aud every
Seeding killed means one less weed
seed in the soil. Barren summer fall
lowing is often practiced to clear out
weedy land by the method just de.
scribed; but usually corn, potatoes,
alfalfa, cabbages, or beets may better
De grown, giving profitable return
for the extra cultivation. The best
results can be obtained, of course,
with crops that allow cultivation dur
ing the greater part of the season, and
that do not shade the soil too much,
as the direct rays of the sun heating
the surface of tho soil aid materi.
ally in the termination of many seeds.
AS annual weeds usually thrive best in
soil that has been broken but is not
occupied, it is evident that broken
land should not be permitted TO re-
main idle.
Biennials, such as burdock, wild
carrot, and bull thistle, store up nour.
ishment in thickened roots during the
first year of growth, and during the
second year they produce seed and
die. Many species which are ordi-
narily true biennials will live three
years, or possibly longer if seed pro.
duction is prevented by moving or
cutting the stem above the crown of
the root. In fact, moving or cutting
off the main stem often induces it to
branch out ut the base and send up
several stalks in place of one. Cut
ting the roots below the crow usually
kills them. If this work is to be done
by hand with q hoe, grub hoe, OF
spud, as is often the case with bull
thistles on new ground, it can be done
most effectively and with the least
labor in the fall, during the first year
of growth. Biennial weeds are readily
killed by cultivation such as is giver
to hoed crops, and the seeds may bt
cleaned out of the land by thu!
method.
Perennial weeds reproduce them
selves by seeds, and also propagate BY
some form of perennial underground
stem, as the rootstalks of Canada this
tie aud couch grass, the CORN or soliC
bulb of the nut grass and chufa, ant
the bulb of the wild onion. A fev
plants sometimes classed as noxlou
weeds have runners above ground, q
Bermuda grass. To destroy perennia
weeds seed production must be pre-
vented and the underground portion
must be killed. Seed production ma.
be prevented by moving when thu
first flower buds appear, the same a
in the case of annuals or biennials
The rootstocks may be dug up and re
moved, q remedy that can be prac
tically applied only in small areas
Salt, coal oil, or strong acid applied s.
as to come in contact with the freshl
cut roots or rootstocks destroys ther
for some distance from the point o
contact. Crude sulphuric acid i
probably the most effective of com
paratively inexpensive materials tina
can be used for this purpose, but il
strong corrosive properties render
dangerous to handle. Rootstocks ma,
be starved to death by preventing an
development of green leaves or othe
parts above ground.-Denver FIel
and Farm.