Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-07-04
Arc You Fighting weedsp

vantage they should be studied and theil
habits understood. According to nat
ural duration there are in general three
classes OF weeds, viz, ANNALS, biennials
and perennials.
Annual weeds are those that live
naturally but one year, l. O., the seed
terminates, the plant grows up, mowers
and ripens seed, and dies, all within
twelve months. Common examples are
Foxtail, field mustard, smartweed.
cocklebur, ragweed, etc.
| Biennial plants are those that live
naturally two years. The first year
after the seed terminates the plant pro
duces some sort of rosette OF leaves on
the ground above the root, and the Sec
oud year q Towering stalk Is sent up
which bears the flowers and ripens the
seed. Then the whole plant usually
dies. Common examples OF this class
are-evening primrose, mullen, wilo
carrot, teasel, etc. With few exceptions,
the annuals and biennials depend entire.
ly on seed production for their per-
petuatiou.
Perennial weeds are those that live a
number of years or an indefinite period
from the same root. Common examples
are-dock, buckhorp, Canada thistle,
red sorrel, etc. These not only spread
by seeds, but several of this class spread
by means of underground root stalks as
we'll, making them by far the most diff
cult to control when once introduced.
In fighting weeds, it is not only i'm
portant to avoid introducing their seeds
Gzll In Ion n
always to be guarded against With the
greatest care) but it Is always important
as we'll to avoid other sources OF weed
Introduction such as from weedy barn
yards, fence rows, roadsides, bitches
and waste places in general. The weeds
should be kept we'll cut throughout the
season as far as possible, and thus pre-
vented from ripening seeds to be carried
to the fields by wind, water and animals.
As far as possible these places should be
cleared aud cleaned up and good clean
grass sod established.
Aside from avoiding weed introduc
tion in these various ways, which is ex-
tremely important, the weeds now in
the fields should be given even more at
tention. The exact procedure advisable
depends largely on the circumstances.
When the habits of the particular weeds
present are understood, methods usual
ly suggest themselves. The important
thing is to carry out good methods care
fully and persistently. Since the an
nual and biennial weeds reproduce only
from seeds, any method most convenient
to prevent seed formation is practicable,
such as repeated cutting, or, better still,
very thorough cultivation in hoed crops
or, in some cases, hand pulling or dig
ging. Smother crops are also helpful,
these to be followed by clean cultivation
in hoed crops. The cultivation and cut
ting should continue late in the season
to prevent the late seeding of weeds,
which is so common in corn fields after
they are "laid by" and in wheat stubble
after harvest. All early cultivation
should be frequent and thorough, and
the hoe used literally where needed in
the hoed crops. Catch the weeds while
they are small and keep them down.
Many perennials are controlled by the
same methods as are the ANNALS and BIZ
ennials, but those like Canada thistle,
quack- grass, etc., with running root
stocks, require more persistent attention
and sometimes special treatments, which
cannot be taken up at this time.
The perennials as we'll as the ANIMALS
and biennials, should, of course, In every
case be prevented from seeding as far as
possible. The trite saying should never
be forgotten, that "One years seeding is
nine years. wedding" The killing of
weeds by the use of chemical sprays
offers possibilities in certain directions,
and this method is being tried on certain
weeds by the Experiment Station.
To fight weeds successfully, then, re-
quires broad general plan taking in all
the factors concerned, and such a plan
carefully and persistently carried out for
a series of years; all sources of weed
seed introduction should be avoided as
far as possible, and the weeds and per-
enui al roots in the soil killed by pains
taking attention. Besides this, the soil
must be brought to high state of fer
tility and proper condition generally so
far as to favor the best growth OF the de-
sired crops, If the weed problem is to be
met to the best advantage.-A. G. John
son in Hoard's Dairyman.