The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-08-15
Sheep as Weed Destroyers.
Prof. Thomas Shaw.

This was not because no weeds grew
in Ontario, where l used to live, but
because weeds grew more numerous
ly and more vigorously in this north
western country. On going back 10
Ontario a letter was written to chi
cago paper expressing the view that
western farms were greatly overrun
with weeds. This let to some cross
firing from this side of the line
What was my offense at that time?
1t was calling attention to the fact
that weeds prevailed in the north
western states to an extent that was
discreditable to the farming. The
sting lay not in the fact that these
words were not true, but in the fact
that they were uttered by man who
was then a Canadian, or to use other
language, by one who came from an
other country, and a country that
grew to an extent what was unequaleu
elsewhere in America, the aggressive
Canadian thistle. I am now an
American citizen, and can, therefore,
speak without mourning the hazard
of arOusing irritation because the
words spoken have been uttered by
an outsider. And now l want to say
to my brother farmers in the north
western states that the extent TO
which weeds prevail in this north
western country on the average farm
is a disgrace to the farming. 1t is
unnecessary and without excuse or
justification. In the judgment OF the
writer the weed crop of this western
country devours at least one-fourth
of the fertility that should go to the
maintenance of the grain crop every
wear. In other words the weed crop
reduces the yield of small cereal
grains every year by fully 20 per
cent
If this statement is true, the loss
resulting will run up into the mil
lions and millions every year in this
upper part of the Mississippi basin.
If any one honestly believes this
statement is overstrung and can show
conclusively his claim that it is so
then I will apologize publicly in the
papers for having made statement
which reflects so severely on Amerl-
can farming in the west.
Nor should the conclusion be
reached that the northwestern farmer
has an easy task to keep weeds IN
their place. 1t is far easier to keep
farm ClGdu Ill l. cuuSooOO, LII ihoIoiAoO,
or Kentucky or Ontario, than in the
prairie country of the Upper Mississ-
ippi BASIN In the latter the cond1-
tons of soil and growth are material
ly different On prairie soils weeds
grow and mature in the season oil
growth with a rapidity and vigor that
would astonish person unacqualnt-
ed with the country. Take for in
stance, corn crop that is being Gull
tivated. Suppose the man cultivating
it were to send the plough down at
the last cultivation given to this corn
with view of ridging the same. This
work would be done about July 1 or
a little later If reasonably moist
weather followed, the pigeon grass
(foxtaiD and other weeds would cover
the whole surface of the ground, and
if the corn crop were not so vigorous
as to produce dense shade before
Sept. 1 weeds bearing seeds fully ma
tured would stand more or less thick
ly over the whole field. Before the
corn is cut the field is so strewn with
weed seeds that it may be said OF
it. the last state is worse than the
first. OF course the plan OF plough
ing referred to is not usually prac-
ticed in the west, but in some few
instances it may be justifiable, and