The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-07-22
GETTING RID OF NUT GRASS,
TOM WATSON APPEARS In A NEW
ROLE.
His Facile Fen Describes a Plan to Eff
fectually Eradicate This Pest. De-
serves the Thanks of Farmers.


Hon. Thomas E. Watson appears in a
new role-tbat of nut grass destroyer.
If his plan, described below by his ia
cile pen, effectualty eradicates this
pest, Mr.. Watson is certainly entitled
to the thanks of the farming world.
Mr.. Watson says:
"Double crop the land, and il you
don't get rid of nut grass you may sue
me for damages.
"Onmy home place the garden had to
be abandoned on account of this pest.
which had arrived as travelling com
panion to some nursery stock. After
the garden the orchard had to be Civ
en- up; the adjoining lots, until one
horse farm was practically aban-
doned.
II tried several plans of exterminat-
ing the invader and found that these
plans were just what the nut grass
wanted. 1t thrived on said plans and
pushed the invasion further and
further.
AT length, in 1894, experimental
on one of the worst pieces by sowing it
in oats in the early fall. When the
freeze came which killed the oats the
nuts, which the turn plow had turned
to the top, were also killed, and the
surface of the ground was covered with
dead nuts until it looked as if it had
been sown with black pebbles.
II waited till late in April and
scarcely a sprig of the grass showed it
self. Corn was then planted, and
while some of the grass appeared, it
did not interfere with the cultivation of
of the corn by an ordinary two-horse
cultivator.
Following this corn sowed oats,
and they are now ripening to large
yield, with no nut grass to be seen.
AS precaution, however, l will
follow the oats with peas or corn, and
then again with rye or oats this fall.
''This method of treating nut grass
keeps the root from jointing and keeps
the top from seeding.
'"The hot sun kills the nuts you turn
up to it, and freeze in Che winter has
the same effect. BY continually tear
ing up the roots, you prevent the un-
dergrOund jointing, and by continual
ly turning under top grass you keep it
from going to seed.
"Now, how can any grass prosper
when you make war upon it at both
ends? 1t can't live in any peace, and
it quits trying.
Last year, seeing the good effect of
the plan adopted, took in the old gar
den and orchard, where the nut grass
was so heavily sodded it was almost
impossible to break itup well with
turn pillow.
planting corn in the water furrow,
each blade of corn came up surrounded
by thousand blades of nut grass.
"The first working of the corn had
to be made with the hoe. As soon as
the corn was large enough to pillow
with a turn shovel, in we went to COW
er up the nut grass. Another crop of
grass appeared as sassy as ever. In
went the turn ploWs again, neatly lay
ing said nuts with bare heads to the
sun. A feebler crop came next time,
and again we turned them bottom up.
''By the time the corn matured
there wasn't much nut grass, but to
make the treatment thorough | fol-
lowed this crop of corn with a planting
of forage corn and after that was cut
away sowed rye. The grain was good,
and there was only an cccasiona sprlg
of the grass to be seen anywhere in the
lot. Turning under the rye with a
Dixie turn pillow, corn was planted. 1t
is now up and practically free Of nut
grass.
''To have conquered this garden spot
in twelve months time, conclusiyely
proves that nut grass can be whipped
if you will go at it with resolution.
"Kcep the top turned under and the
bottom turned up, and you can get rid
of nut grass without having to move off
the place.
SO sure am l that this method is an
assured success that this year / have
planted in corn all the balance of the
land which had been surrendered to
the grass, and / am convinced that nut