The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-04-03
HOW TO CONTROL WEEDS
Address Delivered at Farmers Week
on Important Subject by Pref. ". l..
Slate, Jr.

edly true from certain standpoih's'
Int for TIT farmer. the weed IS more
it is n pest, an enemy source :"
financial loss. Recent experiments
ton even suggests that 1t is Weeds NOT
the lack of mulch, that lowers our corn
CROP However that may be. we 90
know that they reduce our crop y'eios
and values. said Prof. W. L. State Jr''
IN bis lecture on weeds and how to
control them at Farmers Week at the
U. Of NJ.
How weeds injure crops. BY using
nlant food. This Is so obvious that
IL needs no explanation.
BY using water needed for the crop.
Every growing plant is constantly TAX
ing water from the soil and giving 1t
off through the leaves. single corn
plant may use over 500 pounds of
water during its growing season.
BY crowding out economic plants.
The case of witch" grass running
out" other grasses, Is an example OF
this. and many others might be cited.
Inconvience in harvesting. reduc-
Ing value of crop, as weeds In hay,
and harboring OF fungus diseases, are
some of the other ways In which
weeds injure crops.
HOW WE GET WEEDS
1t often occurs that a new weed APP
pears on a farm, takes possession OF
whole fields and one Is at loss 10
know how it came there. The most
FREQUENT sources are our waste pas
lures. fence rows, roadsides and other
waste places. Weeds are allowed to
run riot here and are spread by the
wind, by the wash from higher LANDS.
by animals and birds. Some states
have laws that make 1t misdemeanor
to let noxious weeds grow. Grass and
clover seed bring more weeds to the
farmer than he realizes. With this
in mind we have passed pure seed
laws so that a purchaser may know
when he is getting poor seed or good.
Means of combating weeds. Tillage
is necessary. Better have less area
and keep it clean. Modern tools are
a great aid in this fight.
Short rotations are necessary for
many weeds that tend to infest our
meadows.
Moving and burning often are worth
while, but should be done before the
weeds form seed.
Spraying with herbicides is receiv-
ing considerable attention. Copper
sulphate and iron sulphate are being
used with success, but care must be
taken that the work is done thorough
ly and under proper conditions to OBJ
tain good results. Twelve pounds OF
copper sulphate (blue vitrioD in 81
gallons of water is effective on COM
mon mustard, prickly lettuce and
goosefoot. Spray when leaves are
dry. Iron sulphate, 100 pounds to
barrel of water, has been found most
effective on mustard. Spray when
the plants are six to II inches high
and the leaves are dry. 1t may be
necessary to repeat the spraying. The
cost will be about s1.35 per acre.
SOME SPECIFIC CASES
Ouack grass witch or scutch grass)
Tillage is the best means to clean up
field. The root stalks are persistent,
and must be turned up to sun or frost
until killed out. For a thorough dis
cussion see Farmers Bulletin No. asa.
Sorrel. There is a common idea
that sorrel is an indication Of sour
land. This is not true. but may ap-
pear 80 from the fact that use Of lime
is followed by the disappearance OF
sorrel. The fact Is that the lime
encourages closer growth, and this
keeps the sorrel from taking posses
sion of the field. BY all means see
that clover seed sown is free from
sorrel, since this is the chief source
of the weed.
Alustards. Tillage, clean seed, and
sprays are the means at hand for COM
batting mustard Grain fields may be
sprayed with little or no injury to the
crop and the expense Is not great
enough to be a factor.
Hawkweed. Devil weed, Paint
bruss). Since the root stalks are fair
ly close to the surface. this weed may
be handled by blowing shallow. and
surface working, much as for "Quack
Grass. A short rotation Is also es-
sential. On fields where this Is
impracticable, salt may be used. about
20 pounds to the square rod.
Daisy or white weed. A short ro-
tation again applies here. To pre-
vent spreading the grass should be
cut early. The weed seeds are not
ripe at that time, and later, blowing
will destroy the plants.