The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-11-14
HOW TO KILL A BAD WEED PEST
A Fatal Dose for Wild Mustard, Wild
Radish and Wild Turnlp.
Bangor Daily News

There are three different plants that
are called wild mustard" and char
lock" which are common as weeds in
Maine These are wild mustard or
charlock proper; wild radish some
times called iointed or white char
lock, and Wild turnip. These all be.
long to the mustard family and more
or less resemble each other In their
appearance. Wild turnip has a smooth
leaf and stem. while both the wild
radish and the Wild mustard are
roughened with strong hairs.
In earlier experiments by the Maine
Agricultural Experiment Station 1t
vas found possible to completely con-
troll wild mustard by spraying with
sulphate of iron. The earlier expert
ments with wild radlsh were not sat
isfactory. This year trials were given
upon both Wild radish and wild tur-
nip. II was found possible to COM
pletely eXterminate wild turnip by
spraying with sulphate of iron even
after the plants had obtained their
sixth leaf With wild radish the plant
was controlled by spraying when II
had only shown its fourth leaf The
result of these experiments would In
dictate that 1t is perfectly possible to
handle, without injury to the grain
- vii ri nj High
wild turnip whenever they infest grain
fields. While a single spraying may
not kill every plant It will so reduce
the number that by a small amount of
work in hand pulling it will be per-
fectly possible to free a grain field
absolutely from these pests.
One of these experiments was car
ried on on a farm on which in 1911
practically % per cent. of the thresh-
ed yield was mustard seed. In this
particular instance il was chiefly the
wild turnip. In an experiment on this
farm where the wild turnip was slow
in starting so that the oats We're well
above it, a single spraying applied
when the Wild turnip plants were in
the sixth leaf resulted In killing most
of them, and where two sprayings
We're applied ithe second three days
later, at which time the plants had
developed eight leayes) the field was
freed from these plants, and
this despite the fact that the oats
were SO tall that they partially COW
cred the wild turnip plants and that
the plants were far larger than they
should be for treatment
1t is to be hoped that the growers
Of small grains that are troubled with /
'charloek" whether it be wild must
ard, wild radish, or wild turnip) will (
keep this matter in mind the coming
season and provide a supply of iron .
sulphate. The materials must be pro- I
yided amply in advance; a day or two
days delay may make all the differ
anee in the world with the results of
piled with an ordinary spray pump,
such as is used in spraying potatoes.
A fine nozzle must be used and the
pressure be 60 to so pounds to the
square inch in order to develop a fine
mist. Sprinklng the plants will not
kill them The material must fall up
OH the plants in the form Of a fine mist
and the spraying should be done after
the dew has dried from the plants, and
best on a bright day when there Is no
wind Application must be made be-
fore the plants have developed beyond
the fourth leaf At this stage the plant
Is SO small that it can be covered by
an ordinary drinking tumbler. The
iron sulphate solution should have a
strength of Is to 20 per cent The eX-
act strength is not particularly i'm
portant. If 100 pounds of iron sui
plate tone bag as shipped) is suspend
ed over night in the top of an oil
barrel full of water $50 gallons) ii
will be all or nearly all dissolved. This
will have a strength of about % per
cent. When put in the barrel this
should be reduced by the addition of
about 90 gallons Of water, which will
make the solution contain about i
per cent iron sulphate.
CONDENSED DIRECTIONS
Dissolve 100 pounds iron sulphate in
70 gallons of water or 20 in 10 gal
Ions, as is most convenient. Apply at
the rate of about 70 gallons per acre.
Use powerful pump and have the
pressure at least GO pounds Use a
fine nozzle This should develop a
fine dust like mist. a coarse mist will
not do. Spray after the dew has dried
off when the plants are in the fourth
leaf. Choose If possible bright warm
day without wind But spray when the
plants are the proper size even If the
day Is not that could be desired. If
the field Is badly infested or the con-
editions of the first spraying were not
satisfactory a second spraying three
days later is desirable Later 20 over
the field and pull by hand any plants
that may have escaped.
CHARLES D. WOODS.
Director