Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-04-01
GRASS LAND WEEDS
Prevalence of Noxious Plants Is
Serious Matter to Farmer.
Land Could Easily Be Made Capable
of Supporting More Grazing Stock,
or of Yielding Heavier Crops
of Hay Than at Present.
(Rv G 6. MILLER)

CBy c. S. MILLER)
The treatment of grass land in
this country leaves much to be de-
sired. It would appear as if many
farmers were satisfied to take any
natural vegetation as good enough for
grazing purposes. Everyone knows
that the feeding power of different
fields varies considerably. We have
the hillside where as many as thirty
acres or more would be required to
keep a beast alive, and we have the
rich land that can fatten a bullock
and a sheep to the acre. There is an
inclination to submit to this as In
evitable in the nature Of things. AL
though there are very definite lim1-
tations to possibilities of improve
ment of grass land, it could easily be
made capable Of supporting more
grazing stock, or of yielding heavier
crops of hay than it does at present.
The first condition of improvement
of much of our grass land is drainage;
but this is rather a matter Of land
Improvement than of farming proper,
and it should be treated of in its prop
er place. Next, the prevalence of
weeds is a serious matter, and is
we'll within the power of the farmer.
Some of these weeds furnish an indi-
cation of the requirements of the
land. The special weeds Of wet land
are known to most.
The weeds Of poor grass land in
clude an Y daisy, mouse ear chick
weed, s~peedwell, eyebright and others.
Most of these will disappear when
the land is we'll MANFRED, the i'm
proved grass choking them out. The
weeds of good land must be treated in
a different way. Some are so trouble
some that the only way, when they
nave been allowed to get too far
ahead, is to break up the pasture.
This always should be avoided when
there is any other chance Of success,
as a good pasture takes years to re-
establish after breaking it up. The
most diff cult of this class to eradi-
cate are the creeping buttercup and
silverweed. These have wonderful vi
tality and no live stock will eat them.
Many weeds can be gotten rid of by
prevention OF seeding. The various
umelliferea, such as wild carrot, COW
parsnip, hemIock, ETC., also ragweed
and thistles nay be kept down by
moving in due time. Docks are Of a
tougher nature, but they may be
usually pulled out by the root when the
ground is soft after rain. Docks pro-
luce a wonderful quantity Of seed,
and trouble in their eradication is we'll
repaid.
Some plants that become positive
pests on pasture LAND cannot grow
on meadows. These include the com
mon daisy ~hawkseed. There are two
parasitic weeds of grass land; broom
rape lives partly on the roots Of Glow
er, and yellow rattle on grass roots.
These are not so troublesome, on we'll
drained land as where there is too
much moisture. A few plants, COM
monty regarded as weeds, may be an
advantage to grass lands, when they
are there in moderation.
The common dandelion, plantain
and the various wild watches are
among these. Wild garlic is a most
Objectionable weed where dairy cattle
are fed, as it destroys the favor Of
the milk, but it is beneficial in mod
Grafton on fattening land.