The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-12
Uncle Sam Would Help KIN the Wssds.

NF' '''''hJ y A''i iAiNi Vifo ittN' btth
checked in their growth by the
weeds which have become more
conspicuous than usual. This fact
has awakened particular interest
on the subject of weed eradica-
ton, and there has been such
demand for accurate knowledge
about injurious weeds that the
United States Departmental of Ag-
riculture has increased it's efforts
in late years to furnish accurate
information on the subject and
has issued many bulletins and
circulars.
For the complete eradication of
a noXious plant, the seeds must
be prevalent, and if the plant is
biennial or a perennial the root
stock must be killed. The pro
cesses by which seed production
may be prevented or rootstocks
killed are comparatively simple in
most cases, and in no case are
they impracticable. If weeds
cannot be completely extermina-
ted they may be brought under
subsection. In restricted local.
ties this subject may approach so
near to determination as to pre-
vent any material demand with
out requiring extra labor. This
is almost the ideal condition for a
farm as far as weeds are concern
ed.
There are all gradations from
this condition to that of the farm
so weedy that a profitable crop
cannot be raised and that no one
will buy the land at any good
price unless he has some assur-
ance that wild onions, penny
cress, horse nettle, Canada this
tie, or quack grass can be killed
or controlled. Any species of
weeds can be subdued and con-
trolled withiu'the limits of the or
dinary iarm aud unless the value
of the land is low from other
causes this may be proftably un.
dertaken.
If the weed, like many of our
most abundant kinds, is an an
nual, reproducing itself from the
seeds only and dying root and
branch each year, it may be sub
jected by preventing seed pro
duction. The seeds of many an
nuals retain their vitality for sew
eral years, so that if they once |
become abundant in the soil they |
are likely to germinate at irregu-
lar intervals, and thus cause trou-
ble for a long time, even though |
no fresh seed is introduced. In
cultivating fields the land thus
seeded should first be burned ov-
er to destroy as many of the
seeds as possible on the surface
1t may then be plowed shallow SO
as not to bury the remaining
seeds too deeply in the soil. The
succeeding cultivation, not deep
er than the plowing, win induce
the termination of seeds in this
layer of soil and kill the seedlings
as they appear.
The best methods of killing the
rootstocks vary considerably ac-
cording to the soil, climate, char
acter of the different weeds, and
the size Of the patch or the guam
tity to be killed. In general,
the following principles
apply;
The rootstocks may be dug up
and removed, a remedy that can
be practically applied only in
small acres.
Salt, coal oil, or strong acids
applied so as to come in contact
with the freshly cut roots or root
stocks destroys them for some
distance from the point of con.
tact. Crude sulphuric acid is
probably the most effective of
comparatively inexpensive mater
ais that can be used for this pur-
pose, but its strong corrosive
properties render it dangerous
% handle. Carbolic acid is less
corrosive and nearly as effective.
Rootstocks may be starved to
ieath by preventing any develop
nent of green leaves or other