El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-21
FARMING
JOHNSON GRASS IN
VALLEY IS PROBLEM
To Remove Pest from Farms
Means Persistent Work;
Spraying Used.

State College, n. NJ, Aug. 21.-John-
son grass continues to flourish almost
undisturbed throughout the MeSllla
valley The apathy shown regarding
the spread of this pest, in spite of the
warnings that have been given by men
who know its character, is surprising.
The small plant Just from the seed, be
fore large root stalks are formed is
easily killed with a hoe After 1t is
well started, however, hOeing is sue
cessful only when carefully and re-
peatedly done.
Must Be Carefully and Repeatedly Done.
Johnson grass, contrary to general
opinion. is an annual and not a peren-
NAL plant. In other words no part of
the plant lives more than one year.
About the time the plant puts out its
seed head it also Is forming under
ground a root stalk which will produce
green plants above ground the follow
ing year. Johnson grass has, therefore
two methods of reproducing itself; by
seed and by underground root stalks.
Largely by means Of seed the spread
of the plant to new locations IS et-
fected but it is the underground root
stalk that is most troublesome when
an effort is made to eradicate the
plant from any particular place II
the plant is kept cut off down to the
surface of the ground Cor better yet,
Just below the surface) no root stalks
can be formed and hence there is moth
ing to produce plants the following
cut off by hOeing or clean cultivation
will also prevent the production of
seed and the plant is necessarily
eradicated.
To be most effective nOeing (clean
cultivation must be started early in
the spring before root stalks are be-
ing formed. If the plants are allowed
to reach a stage where seed heads are
being formed, they will have matured
root stalks for the following season
and viii have to be reckOned with
again It is this dual nature of the
plant that has discouraged 50 many
farmers who have tried to eradicate
Johnson grass from their fields They
have been told to cut the plants off
before they go to seed so as to pre-
vent the spread of seed. This they
have done in numerous instances, but
the plant comes up again and again
and the farmer ceases to try. In pre-
venting the plant from producing seed
the farmer has really done a very good
thing because there will be no new
infested areas but to kill the plants
he must prevent the formation OF root
stalks.
Prof. Hadley, who resides near the
Agricultural college, has had very good
success in fighting Johnson grass with
a horse hoe. This implement consists
of a sharp blade attached to runners
which in operation is drawn along a
few inches below the surface Of the
ground
Birds and farm animals distribute
quantities of seed but far more serious
is the spread due to seed falling into
ditch water. If only the ditch banks
could be kept clean a great step in ad-
vance toward Johnson grass control
would be registered A law covert ng
the banks of irrigation bitches would
be a great help to the various Valleys
of the state and would in no way injure
those sections where Johnson grass
is valued as dry range or hay or
pasture crop. Ask your legislators
Chemical sprays as a means Of eradt-
cation deserve attention, especially in
considering ditch bank treatment. They
are somewhat objectionable in cropped
fields for the reason that not only
Johnson grass but all other plants as
well are killed by the spray where it
falls. Even so, the bare spot can be
reseeded later.