Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1906-07-04
GETTING RID OF WEEDS.
They Lower Market Value Of Crops
and Destroy Fertility Of Soil.

and Destroy Fertility Of Soil.
The Minnesota agricultural expert
msnt station has issued very in.
structive bulletin in response to
numerous inquiries from farmers as
70 the best method OF Graduating
certain common weeds which have
given the agriculturists a great deal
Of trouble.
It 10 estimated by the station Off
eials that weeds cause the loss of
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars an
nually to the farmers Of Minnesota
and elsewhere. These unwelco ne in
truders not only make it more ex-
psnsive to grow crops, but they draw
heavily upon the moisture and fertll-
ity Of the soil, and last but not least,
they reduce very materially the mar
kst value Of the crop.
The reports Of the State grain in
spsction department. are quoted to
show that for two years the average
docksge Of wheat at the elevators is
about nineteen ounces per bushel.
This dookage 10 largely due to weeds.
A. the annual wheat crop of Mime.
so:s 10 about 900,OOO, 900 bushels,
doekase Of one pound per bushel
means . loss Of O,OOO, 900 pounds
per year. The estimate OF the grain
inspection department would make it
more than that.
Had the land been free OF weeds,
says the bulletin, the same amount of
plant food, moisture and labor would
have produced over 3,00O,0 600 bushels
Of wheat or the equivalent in other
grains. On this basis weeds cost the
Minnesota farmers about $2,5OO, 900
annually, or an annual rent OF about
30 cents on every acre seeded to small
grain. If to this is added the cost of
fighting weeds, the loss of fertility and
moisture, strain on machinery, extra
cost Of Irvine to tie up the weeds,
freight charges for shipping weed
seeds. ETC., the loss is increased enor-
nously, and the business man who
would keep out OF the bankruptcy
court must figure cost OF production
aud marketing down to the smallest
item in just this manner.
The average dockage, however, does
not fully cover the matter of loss.
The bulletin cites one instance in
which the farmer was docked %
pounds to the bushel, and another
was docked 10 pounds to the bushel,
both OF them because OF wild os ts in
their grains. This is a heavier tax
than any business man eau stand and
prosper.
The bulletin describes the various
common weeds, which are divided in
to three claeses-annual, biennial and
perenniai-and then gives various
methods of Graduating them. But
nothing is 30 effective as u proper ro-
tation OF crops. A system which
provides for one or more years in Gull
tivsted crors and one or more grass
crops ON each field in five or seven
years will clear the fields OF most OF
the weeds, increase the net income
per acre and tend to increase the fer
tility Of the soil.
The continuous growing OF small
grains in one field means weedy land /;
diversified farming means a disap-
psarsnce Of the weeds, less work and
more prosperity for the farmsr.-The
Dalles Chronicle.
Owing to the numerous complaints
Of farmers in the surrounding country
Of the appearance Of obnoxious weeds,
particularly the mustard weed, the
above article may be OF vital import
sncs to those who have been and are
now trying to eradicate these crop
dsmoralising intruders from their
land. The Wholesale loss OF the value
Of extensive crops resulting from the
foreign growths in grain fields can be
rsmedied by the vigorous applica ton
Of . proper system-the rotation of
crops. II no other feasible way be
followed, the farmer thus affected will
continue to suffer heavy losses in ad-
dition to the lessening OF the bearing
qualities Of his land.
The admission OF Oklahoma into
the Union Of states requires the addi-
zion Of another star to the national
Gag Of the United States. The field
o. union Of the present flag contains