The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-06-06
HERE IS ANOTHER way
Three Professors Tell How to Get
Rid of Dandelion Pest.

Eradication of the dandelion with
its tendency to become Ubiquitous to
the ruination of lawns once smooth
and green and to the despair OF per-
sons who try to eliminate the pest by
hand, is promised through sure and
easy methods by Professor A. ID. Viii
son, of the university farm school.
r. w. Fisher, horticulturist at the
agricultural college at Bozeman, Mon
tana, and Professor H. l.. Bolley, of
the North Dakota agricultural col
lege, following experiments with solu-
tions OF sulphate of iron and copper.
Sprayed with the right solution the
dandelions promptly shrivel up and
die, and a general use of the solution
II is said, will mean a solution OF the
dandelion problem.
Getting the dandelion in hand by
the use of knife to dig the plant up
singly by the roots is a discouraging
process, and usually by the time part
of the crop has been out of the way
the rest has gone to seed, and the
white fluffy balls sow bigger crop
than ever with the first strong breeze.
| With the sulphate solution the
plants not only are nipped Ia the bud
but seem to evaporate into thin air
The grass, which is bound to be kill
ed eventually by the inrOads of the
dandelion, is not harmed by the use
Of the solution.
Directions for killing the dandelions
given out by farm school professors
read in part as follows: 1.-THE iron
sulphate, or copper as il is commonly
known, can be purchased for few
cents pound in quantity, and is used
at rate of ~ to pounds to one
gallon of water. The solution should
be applied soon after the iron sui.
phate is dissolved, as there is chemi-
cal reaction which takes place soon
after ii is dissolved, and if left stand
ing too long it lessons its power to
kill the dandelions. 1t should not
stand more than three or four hours.
The solution is not poisonous to han
die, but will discolor iron, stone and
clothing, and reasonable care should
be taken in applying it about houses
where there are iron fences and stone
foundations and walks.
When the spray solution is properly
made and applied the dandelions can
be killed without injury to blue grass
or white clover, except that the leaves
of the clover may be spotted for
time, rarely enough, however, to dis
figure the lawn. BY keeping the Town
closely cut and well watered it will
quickly recover from any injury. The
spaces where dandelions are killed
should be seeded at once with blue
grass seed to fill up the vacant ground
and prevent weeds from terminating.
The solution should be strained
through fine sieve or cloth into the
spray even so that no material can
get into the pump to clog it up"
As a result of the experiments 1t
has been found that it Is impossible
for the dandelion roots to live more
than one season without green leaves
and spraying about once in six weeks
or whenever the leaves start to grow
will eliminate the pest in season.
The solution cannot be success
fully applied with a sprinkling can"
according to the agricultural school
bulletins, as the large drops viii aot
stay on the leaves. Spraying should
be done when the wind Is not blow
ing, and when the sky is partly
cloudy. The lawn should be well
watered several hours before the so
luton is applied, so that the grass can
dry, but the roots will be moist enough
to go day or two without moisture
to give the spray solution time to do
! its work"
| Solution OF various strengths have
4 been used 10 kill Canada thistles, Wild
mustard and other weeds.
a-