The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1914-10-22
TO THE FARMERS
Of TENNESSEE
BY CAPT. I. F. PECK
Commissioner of Agriculture.
BY A. l.. Garrison, Chief Feed, Seed
and Fertilizer Inspector.


BY A. l.. Garrison, Chief Feed, Seed
and Fertilizer Inspector.
The annual losses caused by weeds
on Tennessee farms deserve more SER
ious consideration than they have thus
far been given by the farmers of the
state The department of agriculture
has accumulated considerable evidence
which shows certain portions of the
state to be infested with weeds to such
an extent that 1t is very advisable to
carry on a determined warfare to
eradicate them.
For many years those interested in
scientific and permanent agriculture
have thoughtfully considered the dam
age done by weeds and have issued
repeated warnings. But this work
was confined almost entirely to pre-
tentative measures, and largely along
the line of seed selection and seed in
spection for the purpose of insuring
clean seed.
Farmers on virgin soils of the Uni
ted States where weeds were not nu-
merous were inclined to ridicule the
idea that weeds could ever become
seriously troublesome. The fears of
the scientists, however, have been
realized, and many farms in the Uni
ted States have been abandoned be-
cause weeds multiplied and spread so
rapidly that the farmers have become
discouraged, and given up in DESPAIR.
That such conditions as these exist
even in Tennessee may be surpi Using
to many; yet such is the case, end
noxious weeds are spreading here at
a rate which has alarmed those who
are acquainted with the seriousness
of the situation.
On many farms in this state fully rs
per cent of the crop producing capac-
ity has been destroyed by weeds. |
What this means to the owner of a |
100 acre farm can be shown by few
figures. Twenty-Five per cent of 1901
acres is 40 acres. At 80 bushels per
acre this area should produce 1900
bushels of corn. With corn at 60
cents per bushel the crop would be
worth $3.50. With land worth 500
per acre, the farm would have value |
of $4,000. A loss of 1920 on an in
vestment OF $4,000 is loss of Az
per cent-surely more than the aver
age farmer can afford to bear.
Very good crops must be grown on
the remainder of the farm is such a
loss is to be overcome. The majority |
of farmers cannot long make profit
under such conditions. Fortunately
such conditions do not exist in all
sections of the state, and farmers
whose farms are not yet infested
should take extreme care that weeds
are eradieated before they spread.
This statement is designed to arouse
those interested in better farming to
some energetic and concerted action
for weed control and eradication be-
fore conditions become more serious.
The successful eradicition of weeds
depends upon knowledge of two i'm
portant points. First, how long does
the plant live? Second, how does it
reproduce and spread?
With respect to duration of life
there are three classes of plants-an-
nuals, biennials and perennials An
annual comes up from the seed, Al
biennial grows from seed, but later
dies; all within one year. A biennial
grows from seed, but produces onlyI
leaves the first year The root, and
sometimes the leaves, lives through
the winter. The second year flower
stalk comes up, seeds are produced,
and the plant dies. A perennial is
is one the roots of which live on year
after year unless killed in some way
Depending upon conditions, the plant
may or may not produce seed every
year.
The Importance of the subject will
not permit touching on the methods
of eradication, which will be treated !,
in later article.