New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1903-12-05
TO Kill .IniiNsnN GRASS

ment y. agriculture, was here to-
d y to Inspect the experiments
which are being conducted oh the
farm Of j b Gay for the purpose
Of finding methods Of exterminat-
ing johnson grass. After visiting
the experimental field, Mr.. Spill
man was enthusiastic over the re-
suits. He speaks very highly of
Mr.. Gay S careful and conscientious
work Ill carrying out the expert
ments. Everything has been done
axactly as planned said Mr..
Spillman, land the results exceed
anything that was hoped for, In
fact, it has been demonstrated be-
| yond question that Johnson grass
can be completely eradicated by
means that are entirely practica ble,
and bulletin Will be issued this
winter giving the details of the ex-
perlments and the results obtained.
The piece of laud chosen for this
work was alluviaI bottom land on
which the grass is at its best. Last
year there was a perfect stand of
grass. which was cut for hay. The
area under experiment was divi-
ded into five parts. The whole field
was ploWed with turning plow
last fall Plat 5 was then left
without fnrther treatment to see
what the grass would do. This
plat has furnished two good crops
OF hay this year, and has q small
third crop on it now (November
y. Plats |, 2, 3 aud 4 were run
over both ways last fall with a root
digger, a kind Of harrow designed |
to drag the roots from the soil
In the spring these plats were
plowed again and again treated
with the root digger, The roots
were thus very largely removed
from the soil Plats / and were
then planted to eowpeas. Very |
little grass came up in these plats
though they were not entirely free
from it. Plat 3 was planted in
cotton and cultivated in the usual
manner The amount of johnson
grass on this plat is extremely
small. In fact, it takes careful in.
spection to find any. Just across
the fence is q field Of cotton entire
ly taken by the grass, the only
difference between the treatment
Of the two being that the plat was
plowed both fall aud spring, and
the roots were removed as CON-
pletely as possible by means of the
digger, while the field was handled
as cotton fields are usually handled
here. Plat 4 had no crop on it
this summer, but was run over
with sweep once abont every
three weeks. On this plat there is
|
not sprig of Johnson grass to be
seen.
These results Indicate that excel
lent crops, practically free from
Johnson grass, may be grown on
badly Infested land il the land is
plowed IN both fail aud spring,
aud treated with a root digger after
each blowing To completely erad-
lcate the grass small portion Of
the farm may be treated at a time, .
30 that the loss of seasons use
OF the land may not be serious.
The part TO be treated should be
plowed in the fall with a disc or a II
turning plow. The root digger
should then be run both ways over
the land. Repeat the plowing and
root digging III the spring. Then
run a sweep over the field fre-
during the summer. This
will completely eradicate the pest.
a picture OF the root digger men,
toned was published in The Post q
few months ago It Is long,
toothed harrow with the teeth
pointing forward
In speaking Of the growing OF
Alfalfa, Prof. Spillnan stated:
The reason for many failures
with alfalfa lies in the fact that
this plant, like all others of the
clover or pea family, requires the
presence in the soil Of a particular
variety Of mierobe. When this is
present alfalfa often succeeds even
though it bad frequently failed
on the same soil before the microbe
was placed there. The United
States department Of agriculture
lias recently isolated the alfalfa
and grown it in large
for distribution to farm
ers who desire to get start Of
alfalfa or other clovers. The mi.
srobes, with directions how to use
them, may be Lad by addressing
The department Of agriculture,
Washington, D. G.