The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1907-06-21
An Obnoxious And Troublesome
Weed.

A very obnoxious and troublesome
weed is rapidly securing foothold IN
Bourbon and adjoining counties that
is very annoying to farmers and
promises to give much trouble IN its
determination. Just how it gained its
introduction is unknown, but it is
thought that it came not eXistance
through the importation of clover and
other grass seeds. IL is of tropical orr
gin and is species of SOrrell (Begonia
Scandens) allied with the dock family
(Rumix Acetosa.) The Objectionable
weed grows about ten inches high. the
main stem producing an abundant sup
ply of small seed, as minute perhaps
as tobacco or mustard seeds and has
long top root with cluster of smaller
roots. and close above the top root
grows a cluster of short branches in
the form of diminitive grass blades of
timothy (Phelum pratense.)
The plant is not only a pest to the
farmer, but its presence is destructive
to all other vegetation, which fails off
luxurious growth wherever the weed is
noted. Being acid in its taste and prob
ably to some extent poisonous stock of
all kinds avoid it, refuse to eat it and
its sphere of possible usefulness is
doubted and undiscovered. 1t does not
seem to be affected by drouth and is
usually found more frequently in clover
and timothy meadows and in fields re-
Gently sOwn to bluegrass. 1t has never
been observed in great quantities in
bluegrass pastures thickly set to blue
grass, but its steady spread is becom-
ing alarming and farmers are perplex-
ed as to the best methods of eradication
Farmers who have experience with
the weed are invited to give their
method of determination.
Ed. Fishback, of Pine Grove, KY,
and D. G. Lisle, of Bourbon county,
have had considerable experience with
the weed and say the most successful
method of combating its spread is to
sprinkle salt literally on the ground
where it has gained foothold, or by
covering it with straw and burning
the straw.
The following is a reply to the above
and it comes from Farmdale Farm, in
Fayette county, and we take it from
the Lexington Gazette:
This remedy comes from the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin. The article above
speaks of different fields that have been
spoiled by this week. A large field of
oats in which early mustard stood
thickly higher than the oats, was
sprayed with the ordinary Bordeaux
mixture, such as is used in spraying
fruit trees, and the mustard was de-
stroyed without injury to the oats.
The formula which comes from the
University of Wisconsin, originally
came from Germany. An experiment
was made by spraying fields with ten
per cent solution Of iron sulphate and
no injury was discovered to the corn
crop, or to the clover, or grass in
which the early mustard or other weeds
destroyed were growing.
This Sulpnate of iron in solution de-
stroVed mustard, yellow dock. smart
weed, ragweed, and Spanish needles,
and it is believed it will destroy the
white daisy and Canada thistle.
The best time to destroy mustard
in corn fields is when it is in the third
leaf. Yet the mustard has been de-
stroyed when it was twenty-six inches
high with one spraying. The spray
must be applied on sunny days when
there is no rain and when the dew has
evaporated.
If it rains the same day when the
spray is applied it will not be effec-
tive. If it rains in sixteen hours after
the spraying the determination will be
complete.
Sulphate is inexpensive, costing only
fifty cents in all per acre to spray. One
hundred pounds of iron sulphate dis
solved in fifty four gallon of water is
enough for an acre. Sulphate or iron
comes in a powder easily dissolved in
water.
Suiphate of copper has been used
for destroying weeds, but, as can be
readily seen, sulphate of iron is cheaper
and much more effective. The sulphate
If iron spray on turnips will destroy
the turnips as we'll as the weeds, but
it positively will not injure corn crops
or grasses.
The foregoing is taken from Green's
Fruit Grower, Rochester, N. Y.
FARMDALE FARM.