The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-01-26

1t will produce new plant a,tborou
it may not be over one-half inch lors
The wlo.e plant grows rapidly .nd
ripens fts seed usually in July and
where growing in meadows. NAV h.
gathered In the hay. from whence !,
gets into the manure to be scattered
broadcast oven the farm.
II growing in grain it will be ,.,
vested and threshed with the gr,;n
and II the grain is not graded with
extreme care some Of the quack gras.
VIII be sown on the fields the next
year.
Canada Thistle a Menace.
Like Quack grass the Canada this.
tie IS perennial plant. In Height II
ranges from one to three feet de-
pending on conditions. The Canad,
I'll tie has no rootstocks like the
Quack grass. but is possessed of true
roots, the parts of which are capable
OF producing plants. When undisturbed
by cultivation the roots are ant to liz
near the surface. but go deeper in
cultivated soil and where it is par.
ucularly loose and porous may be
found at q depth OF three feet.
Canada thistles seldom bear seed in
nelds that are cultivated annually,
but In those fields that are seeded
down to clover or grasses.
Methods Of Weed Eradication.
Many methods have been devised
and advocated for the eradication Of
Quack grass and Canada thistles The
success of any method depends very
largely upon soil and weather copdi
tons and method which has proven
entirely successful under one set Of
conditions has frequently failed when
used under somewhat different condL
tons. Quack grass is more persis.
tent and more difficult to eradicate
than tie Canada thistle, hence any
method which will eradicate Quack
grass will surely destroy Canada this
ties
This method can be used successful
~ except on wet or extremely porous
soils. No crop can be grown during
the year in which this treatment Is
being given. It consists of blowing
deep enough to reach the horizontal
roots. four times In dry season,
and ofteper II the season ia wet. In
fact, blowing may profitably be begun
as soon as crop Is removed the
preceding year.
In the intervals between plowings
the ground should be cultivated often
enough to prevent all leaf growth.
The spring tooth harrow makes an
excellent tool for this purpose. but
any exposure Of the roots to the hot
winds and glazing sunshine Of sum-
mer rapidly kills them.
This following method is more Ger.
tain to result in complete eradication
than any other which has been tried.
it gets rid Of the weeds with ons
years work. The thorough cultiva'
. ton Of the soil leaves 1t in splendid
condition, 20 that q much larger crop
can be obtained the following year
than would have been possible had
the weeds remained. and the field Will
continue to bear good crops after the
weeds are eliminated.
Where the Quack grass or thistles
are to be removed while q crop Is De-
Ing raised. blowing should begin IN
the summer or autumn AZ soon al
the former crop Is removed. the ear
Her the better. This should be lo'
lowed by careful cultivation until tho
ground freezes up. The next spring
blowing should be done as soon as
soil conditions permit and be con,
tinued at intervals Of four week un'n
the first Of July.
Between the plowings thorough cur
tivation should be practised. on tns
date mentioned the seed bed snouia
be carefully prepared and the iana
sown to millet or buckwheat az .n0
rate Of three pecks per acre in e'tne,
case. The previous treatment W."
have SO weakened the weeds that tno
millet or buckwheat gets well estav
lished before the weeds recover SUM-
GENTLY to begin growth Botn ~
these crops grow rapidly and pro'iue
a dense shade underneath when 'n'
weeds cannot survive.
Spraying to Kill Wild Mustard
The eradication Of farm weeds .,
SPRAYING with weed killing solutions
has been the subject Of special inve.
LEGATIONS by the Wisconsin eApen
ment station for several years. ~
reriments with the iron sulphate solr
fior were begun In 1906 and success
ful results were secured in the erau'
cation Of Wild mustard ana IN 'ne -
t.al control Of other weed pests.
The iron sulphate solution Is pr
nared BY mixing 100 pounds Of srana
iated iron sulphate with 80 gallons u.s., =.
water. ana stirring thoroughly. 49,. -.
soIution Is suficient to treat one a..I
81 And infested with wild mus'a
8 specially adapted sprayer IS ne0.
:, e.rv Is apply the solution. Sucn ms
chfnes are now to be found upon
market 1t moderate prices. ..d
Fifteen TO IS acres can % sps M
dailv ana ! single application o.
- -. .-sss ~ - $ha wild muv