The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-26
some Troublesome Weeds.

Some Troublesome Weeds.
The question might arise as to what
are weeds Any plants that may be
growing in any crops where they are
not wanted, and which are a hindranee
to crops which are wanted, may be term
ed weeds in a certain sense, SO that to-
mato plants growing in a field of cotton
would in this sense become weeds.
But aside from valuable plants beeom-
ing weeds when growing, we have well
defined class of plants that are always
bad, troublesome weeds, no matter where
found growing. There is something al
ways strange about the growth of these
troublesome weeds-where they come
from and where they go, and where the
seed comes from to produce them.
Some seasons some one or several spe-
cles spread over a section and take the
whole country unless kept down. Then
they disappear for some years and the
next year other species come.
The reader no doubt has seen neighbor-
hoods all overrun to dog fennel; the next
year it may be button weed wild eotton)
or something that perhaps was never be-
fore known in that section. These weeds
are so persistent in their growth that 1t
takes watchful care and lots of hard
work to keep them down. There is no
question in my mind about the seeds of
weeds being and remaining for years
(perhaps ages in the ground waiting an
opportune time to grow. Recently l was
reading in a bulletin from one of our ex-
pertinent stations some statements about
weed seed-how long it required for them
to terminate and various depths from
which many kinds would come through.
This [ think, depends altogether upon
conditions. and weed seed stored in the
soil is unlike vegetable seed which We
plant. while the vegetable seed may rot
and fail to terminate. Weed seed never
mike any mistake i'm this matter. and
they never start a growth until conditions
are right for their maturity. and when,
If left unmolested by man, will make
crop
This subject of weed seed-how they
are preserved in the soil and the many
WAYS by which they become scattered
is too long and too full of interest TO be
treated fully here, as 1t is the purpose OF
this paper to notice a few of the species
that are giving lots of trouble this sea-
son.
In travelling over the country I find
that weeds are unusually bad in nearly
all sections Growing along the way
sides and in every place that is not be-
ing constantly cultivated. Some of the
seeds which are very common and bad
this season are the daisy, wild cotton or
button weed, burdock. wild parsnip, wild
mustard, chess called cheat, sour dock
wild lettuce, burs, plantain and melilotus
or sweet clover We will consider these,
their habits Of growth and how they
may be destroyed
Burdock Biennial.
This is a biennial and a very rank grow
err with large spreading leaves. 1t re-
dures very rich land and so will grow
up in very rich out of the way places
or wherever manure has been freely de-
posted As stated this spring 1t Is un-
usually bad in many sections, one of the
surest plans for killing it is to cut the
main tap root just under the surface and
deep enough to get below all the leaves.
This work can be easily performed with
sharp spade or light grubbing hoe
and the work should be done about the
first week in June, when the plant is
full of sap. This treatment is almost
sure death.
This plant is also biennial, it comes
from seed of the garden or tame pars.
nip. which are blown and scattered all
over the country, when the seed are al
lowed to mature. This is another PROOF
of the proposition we started out Win
that even some of our most valuable
vegetables may at times prove TO De pdu
weeds. The wild parsnip is giving much
trouble this season in many sections OF
country. The better plant for getting
rid of this weed is to cut the root under
ground for burdock, but where this IS
not done then the next best plan is 10
watch them close and NOV them down
lust as they begin to bloom. No farmer
should allow one plant to mature SEED
on his farm or along the highway around
his farm. If all farmers will unite IN
this work of destruction, each one Keep
ing his own farm and the roadside along
his farm free of these pests we woulo
soon get clear of them.
Wild Parsnip Annual.
wild mustard is also very bad TINS
season. growing mostly in grain helds,
nreferring oat fields, where 1t grows ana
natures with the oats, and 1t Is almost
imnossible to clean the oat seed and nave
n free from the mustard seed, so that II
is carried with the oats and scattered py
stock which cut the oats and by reseeding
of the oats. This plant is an annual, the
seed of which are also widely seateeI .,s
nv birds which are quite fond OF the
seed. This plant can be gotten rla VI
completely cleaned out of grain crops, py
milling up, after which the plants shouiu
he burned. It's yellow blossom Will petray
II and If farmers will watch they car,
mil 1t all out while in early bloom ana
before the seed are formed. rms Is
about the only practically way TO clear q
farm of this pest.
Wild Lettuce Annual.