The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-04-19
VOL. NV.

eral years occupied themselves in the
attempt to discover a chemical that
can be used for spraying grain fields.
10 make 1t success it is necessary
that the chemical should destroy the
weeds but leave the cereals uniniured.
Dr. Frank has carried on extensive ex.
perlments in Germany. Yorkshire
college, Leeds, has also made several
tests on farms in England. Numerous
methods of determination have been
tried and abandoned because they were
ineffective, injured the grain crop,
poisoned stock or were too expensive.
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 been made.
The first successful experiments were
attempted in June, 1906 by the Agri-
cultural College of the University of
Wisconsin. The work has been car.
ried on under the direction of Professor
Il. A. Moore. 1t should be recalled
that the University OF Wisconsin has
already established a 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 expert
ments at the Wisconsin Ayr cultural
College. The formaldehyde treatment
for smut in grain is also one of the sue
cessful discoveries of the same institu-
ton. The discovery of 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 at
the University Experiment Station.
The work was based on information de-
rived from Germany where expert
ments had been tried on mustard.
Plans were laid to make tests on the
University farm as soon as the wild
mustard appeared. No machine for
the purpose is made ia this country. a
sprayer costing $l35 was imported
from Germany. The tests on the Uni
versity farm were entirely successful.
Professor Moore then experimental on
other Wisconsin farms, in Dane, Keno
sha and Waukesha counties and at
LYNN, Lyons county, Minnesota. AS
far as known these are the only eX-
periments that have yet been made IN
this country and in every case there Is
evidence that the weeds have been an
initiated while there has been no per-
ceptible injury to the grain. The
Grains that have been tested are oats,
harley. wheat and speltz. No tests
have been made on rye in the United
States but Professor Stagilch has had
.nccess in SPRAYING rye in Europe. Ex-
periments are also being made on In
dian corn and the results so Tar nave
hoen successful. The only effect that
j. seen on the grain is the blackening
of the lower and older leaves that are
doomed to wither eventually, while the
Young leaves, that bring the cereal 10
MATURITY. are unframed. There are
M complaints from any center Oh ue-
terioration either in the quality or
ouantity of the grain crop sprayed.
There has been no difference observed
in the time of ripening. NO tests nave
haen made in this country on clover OF
grasses but experiments made IN ocoV-
land show that in no case was damage
done to the young clover or grass
while the mustard was entirely oe-
stroyed. ,,,,,ion
So far, the sulphate OF iron solution
is found to act definitely on mustard
yellow dock, cookie bur, smart weeu'
Yon weed. and Spanish needles whlle
.Iono i every reason to believe that IL
will destroy Canada thistle. Professor
Moore saws "a sprayer OF uer'nan
m , was recently shipped to the col.
1870 for nse in this Investigation ana
he hell that it will mean the redemp'
,i r Of much land now infested with
~ now weeds. Canada thistles can
avsntualIy be killed off, too but as
,bey are perennials, sending up new Nv
heads from the root they must oe
hS" ,l.l an papp j,