The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-09-13
SOLVING THE WEED PROBLEM.
Technical World Magazine.

fronts the agriculturist of any country.
II is impossible to cultivate them. out
and, unless the farmer tramps through
his grain field, pulling up each weed
by hand--an impossible task-they
must be left to grow with the grain,
drawing in the moisture, spreading
rank leaves for the sunlight and ex-
tracting nourishment from the soil.
The most persistent weeds occurring
in the grain fields of the United States
are the wild mustard, Canada thistle
and Tag weed. The wild mustard OF
which there are over eighty species is
considered by farmers the most trouble
some. It is of so hardy character
that it's seed will survive in the soil
for ten years. The mustard is also
weed that harbors numerous vegetable
pests and parasites. Through large
areas of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota
and the Dakotas it infests fields to the
extent of giving the appearance when
in bloom of being field of mustard.
The grain farmers of the Northwest
have a continual battle with wild
mustard. A few seeds will cover an
entire field in two years if not kept
down. 1t is impossible to eradicate it
where it has once taken hold. In some
fields where it has not grown too strong
Minnesota and Dakota farmers spend
several days with all the children and
women obtainable picking the weeds
from the fields during the month OF
June. 1t is of no benefit to turn the
ground into meadow or pasture for the
seed will lie dormant for years and
when the sod is plowed will come up
again as great pest as ever. Profess
sor r. A. Moore of the Department of
Agronomy of the Agricultural College
of the University OF Wisconsin says.
Hundreds of square miles of farming
land in the state which otherwise
would be the finest agricultural land
in Wisconsin are covered with mus
tard."
It is estimated that weeds cut down
the yield of grain in this country at
least twenty per cent. Under these
conditions agriculturists have for sew
eral years occupied themselves i'll the
attempt to discover a chemical that
can he used for spraying grain fields.
To make it success it is necessary
that the chemical should destroy the
weeds but leave the cereals uninjured.
DIR. Frank has carried on extensive ex-
periments in Germany. Yorkshire
College, Leeds, has also made several
tests on farms in England. Numerous
met hods of determination have been
tried and abandoned because they
were ineffective, injured the grain
crop, poisoned stock or were too expen-
sive.
From this it is evident that any
means that can be found to destroy
these pests will mean one of the great
est discoveries for agriculture that has
ever been made. No mechanical in
vention in farm machinery will COM
| pare with it in Importance.
1t can now be said with certainty
that such discovery has teen made.
The first successful experiments were
attempted in June, 1906, by the Agri-
cultural College of the University of
! Wisconsin. The work has been carri-
cd on under the direction of Professor
r. A. Moore. 1t should be recalled
that the University of Wisconsin has
already established wide reputation
for itself. The Babcock milk test
which has saved more to the farmers
of Wisconsin than the cost of the
whole university from its foundation
to the present time, resulted from ex-
periments at the Wisconsin Argicul-
tural College. The formaldehyde
treatment for smut in grain is also one
of the successful discoveries of the
same institution. The discovery of a
practical method of eradicating weeds
will be of at least twice the value OF
either of these.
The experiments carried on consist
in spraying the field with ten per
cent solution of iron sulphate. The
idea of controlling wild mustard by
this method was conceived last year al
the University Experiment Station.
The work was based on information
derived from Germany where expert
ments had been tried on mustard.
Plans were laid to make tests on the
University farm as soon as the wilC
mustard appeared. No machine fol
the purpose is made in this country
A sprayer costing $lS5 was imported
from Germany. The tests on the Uni
versity farm Were entirely successful
Professor Moore then experimental oil
other Wisconsin farms. in Dane, Ken
osha and Waukesha counties and a
Lynn, Lyons county, Minnesota. A
far as known these are the only ex
periments that have yet been made il
this county and in every case there j
evidence that the weeds have been an
initiated while there has been no per
ceptible injury to the grain. The grail
that have been tested are oats, barley
wheat and speltz. No tests have bee
made on rye in the United States, Blu
Professor Staglich has had success i
spraying rye in Europe. Experiment
are also being made on Indian cor
and the results SO far have been sue
eessful. The only effect that is see
on the grain is the blackening of th
lower and older leaves that are doome
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