The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-06-15

Plaindealer recently wrote to Dr Emil
Starr, of He1 me-. and to the Aglri.
cultural College, for information as to
the best methds of combating the
dlndelion pest. In reply DR.. Starr
says:
The preparation we had On the
m~fket some time ago was a concen-
trated solution of Sodium Arsenu.e
and Copper Sulphate. The solution
was eff ctive but as each dalfdelion
hid to be treated individually the
process was not practical ind has
been abandoned for the simpler solu-
tion OF Iron Sulphate.''
Prof o. B. Whpple, Hortculurist
of the Agricu Nural College, writes
as follows:
You VIII find Ct Closed a copy of
circular letter prepared by my pred
fcessOr Mr.. Fisher, on the subject of
eradic4-ting dandelions from lawns. If
carefully carried out, this plan works
Well.
In small way ,dand lions may he
kept out of the lawn by the use of
gasoline. Gasolipe may be put in a
small Oil can Emd forced ito the
ground OF the plant by pressure ON
the bottom Of the can. This kills the
plant and do not injure the lawn
in Lny way
The circular letter referred to,
which embodies the Iron Sulphate
treatment mentioned by DR.. Starz, is
printed herewith.
Iron Sulphate or copperas as
spray solution for the eradication Cit
dandelions has beeh tested by several
experiment stations in the United
States with more or less success.
When the spray solution is properly
mai, aid applied the dandeIlions o-m
be killed without injury to blue grass
or white clover except the leaves of
the white clover may be spotted a
little by the iron sulphate solution
rarely enough however to disflgure
a lawn. By k eping the lawn Closely
cut and we'll watored the clover Emd
blue grass will rapidly recover from
the spraying.
~ How to Spr.y. An automatic spray
pump of which there are several
tMakeS w.ll give the best results. A
pump manuta ctureli by Bratlldt Bros,
Chicago City, Mimi sota has been
found very convenient in experiments
made AT this station, AID is well adap
ted to dawn spr-ying. The nozzle
shCulG he such that a fine mist can
he made, because if l,rge drops OF
the spray solution fall ON the leaves
tn y viii rum off and no Injury to
the r.andalion will result. When
spraying with an automatic spray or
hand pump, high pressure should be
kept at all times as only then will a
ata1e spray mist be thrown.
One good spray pump VIII be suf
oily a short time to spray a lawn.
The spray solution cI ,nnot be success
fully appli d with sprinllling can as
uhe large drops. Will met SHY on the
leaves. Spraying should be done ON
a day when the wind is not blowi g,
Whom the grass is dry Ind can be
kept dry for II or "a hori's after
spraying. The l~wn should be Well
Watered several hours before tn d so-u
ton is applied, long enough i'm ad-
vance to permit the gr5ss leaves to
dry and Stiu have the roots in soil
moist enough so the lawr.l can go a
day or two without waiter in order
to give the spray solution a chance
to do it's work. Dc water is applied
too soOl after spraying, the Iron SMl-
pllate VIM be washed Off and no re-
suits viii follow.
Spraying should be dome about v
cry six weeks or whenever. the damde
lions show d green color and by keep
ing the leaves killed by spraying with
iron sulphate whenever they start TO
grow, the roots Gin b. entirely killed,
US, it is impossible for the roots to
live more than one season without
green leaves. Spraying made at the
Experiment StaticE with the iron sui
phane solution resulted i'm killing all
the leaves on d .nlielions, without in
jury to blue grass and with only a
fiw spots ON white clover which in
mo way disfigures the lawn Where
d ndelio-s are thick the lawn will
look bad for a Gew days litter spray
sng because of dead leaves On the
dandelion pBsnts. The spaces where
the dandeEons are killed cut shoulf
b. seeded at once with blue grass in
order to fill up VI cant spaces and
thus prevent as far rs possible seed
from daudelinnS terminating The