The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-19
tive precautions might even now prove


The advantages of prevention over
determination seem to be frequently
confused under the supposition that
the killing Of the weeds on the soil has
some of the advantages of the turning
under of a green crop. Indeed, this
practice was for time advocated By
one of the most assiduous OF our ex-
perimenters. 1t must be remembered,
however, that among the common
weeds of the country there is hardly a
leguminous plant. 1t therefore follows
that the fertilizing material contained
In crop Of weeds is essentially all Of
soil origin and the cultivation OF
this crop simply returns to the soil the
plant food originally taken from the
soil and in far less soluble and avail
able form than 1t previously held, in
asmuch as decomposition in the soil
must intervene before the material Of
the weeds can sgain become available
The presence Of weeds in cultivated
fields is therefore without redeemiDg
feature.
Invisible and often almost inexpIic-
able as the origin Of given weed in
any locality may be, we know that
spontaneous generation is out of the
question and that wherever weed ap-
pears its seed must have preceded it.
The seed therefore is the vulnerable
place OF attack, and any means by
which the presence or formation Of
weed seed may be restricted is the
sarest and most effective way for re-
ducing the mischief Of the weed itself.
The most effective time for cultivetipg
the weed infested ground is after the
seed has sprouted, but before the re
sulting plant has secured strong hold
on the soil. A few repetitions of this
course viii, by destroying the successive
sproutinge, suffice to exterminRte the
weed crop of any given season.
The source of the weed seed in any
given field is of vital Importance in
supplying the basis for action by en-
abllng us to prevent a re occurrence of
the condition resulting in the presence
of the pest.
Uuquessionobly the manure used is
responsible for larger part of our
weed enemies than any other single
cause. ANY farmer who will once oh
serve the difference III the prevalence
Of weeds where crops are grown with
and without manure side by side will
easily convince himself of the truth OF
this assertion. I have repeatedly found
the cost of cultivation to be more than
doubled by the use of manure as fer
tilizer and with certain crop, requir
ing much hand wedding, like onions,
the use OF manure is certain to prove
disastrous.
The obvious deductions from these
facts are first, that commercial forms
of nitrogen, potash and phosphoric
acid should be substituted for manure
where purchased material is to be
utilized in feeding the crop. Second,
that for garden and close. grown crops
only thoroughly decomposed manure
should be used, the heat of rotting in
evitably destroying large part Of the
weed seed invariably present. This
decomposition of the manure necessar-
lily occurs at the expense of fertilizing
material. This loss may be largely
prevented by the use Of a chemical ab-
sorbent in the stables and yards. Gyp-
cum is we'll adapted to the purpose, but
kainit is equally effective as an absorb,
ent and possesses the added advantage
of furnishing needed potash and thus
correcting a deficiency in the manure
and rendering it better balanced
plant food, and thus more economical.
Another advantage Of this course is
based on fact with which every prRc
tical farmer is personally familiar.
Weeds grow rankest where nitrogenous
plant food is present in excess. They
thus secure a start or hold difficult to
later overcome, If this excess of nj
trogenous fertilizer is prevented, not
only Is the crop grown, better fed, but
the determination of the weeds is facii
tated. Il. r. SToCKBRIDGE.