Gilpin observer., 1914-07-16
GEOLOGICAL PlJzzLE'PUT SALT ON WEEDS
Pinch of 1t viii Kill the Trouble
some DandeIion.
Department of Agriculture Gives Prae
ticaI Methods for Killing Oande-
lions and Plantains That Ruin
the Appearance of Lawns.

Washington.-The best way to kill
individual dandelion plants is TO cut
Off their ,tops and put pinch OF salt
(about thlmbleful) on the surface OF
each exposed root This will XIII most
of them. AS salt. If generally applied
ruins soil, the salt snouid be useG SPAR
ingly and applied only to the root
tops OF the dandelion. The united
States department or agriculture has
for some time been testing various
poisons TO discover the most ethcient
means of eradicating this troublesome
weed from lawns. but although others
have been found satisfactory, the com
mon salt is best for general use as
there is no danger accompanying its
application.
The departments specialists say
that much effort is wasted in merely
cutting off the dandelion top without
applying some poison to the root That
remains The dandelion has tap root
that grows deep into the soil and cut
ting off the plant merely encourages
the dandelion to come up in thicker
growth.
The time to eradicate dandelions is
in the spring before the plant has mad
time to form seed. The seed spreads
rapidly, blown by the wind. The bios
SONS should be close mown before
they have gone to seed ana salt should
then be applied to each root. man
may be very diligent in caring for
his own lawn and yet have seeds
blown in from neighboring lawns. This
is of such Importance to those desir-
ing fine lawns, that it might be made
a matter for community action.
II the lawn is very full Of this
weed it is too tedious a process to
treat each plant by the salt process.
| In this case two possible methods OF
eradication may be recommended The
first method Is to thicken the stand
OF grass to tend to crowd out the
dandelion. The grass should be put
into a vigorous condition by top dress
ing with well-rotted manure or fertil-
| izer in the fall, and by reseeding In
thin places. The second method, ID
vised in extreme instances. Is TO start
all ever again. PlJw up the lawn nrse
(or spade 1t up If the area Is SMALL
generous amount of well-rotted
manure should then be worked into
the soil, but not fresh manure for
that Is full of weed seeds ready to
terminate. In case manure ls not
available, commercial fertilizers may
be used. Many lawn soils are in need
of lime and 1t is often wise plan
to use it, especially II white clover
IL to be sown. After plowtng, the
land should be narrowed or raked ire
Quently to reduce it to good seed bed
condition. This will encourage the
early termination of weed seeds with
the subsequent determination OF the
seedlings. Thorough cultivation at
this period will destroy the dandelion
plants, both those that come from
roots and seeds. After following
either of the two plans sketched here.
the lawn should be maintained In
good condition by careful moving.
rolling and watering.
The dandelion is not a native Ameri-
can plant. having been introduced
from Europe several centuries ago.
1t was first introduced in the east and
has spread westward with our emigra-
ton.
i The name "dandelion" is said to
come from the French Dent de Lion.
which means tooth Of lion and refers
to the tooth-shaped edges Of the lear
OF the plant.
The dandelion ia widely used
throughout Europe as a truck crop.
Certain foreigners recently arrived In
America have continued to use the
plant as a vegetable and Italians In
, the neighborhood OF large cities nave
made considerable profit by gathering
and taking 1t to market,
Il Another weed that Injuries the beau
ty Of many lawns is the plantain. OF
which there are two varieties; the
buckhorn. or rib grass; and the com
mon. or broad leaf.
The same methods that apply &c
eradicating the dandelion apply to the
piantain except the method of poison
ing the individual plant. Instead OF
! cutting of the top and sprinkling the
root with salt as is done In the case
OF the dandelion. the individual plan,
tain may best be removed by pulling
up by the root after a heavy rain
when the ground Is wet. The plan.
tain does not offer a difficult prob
lem as the roots are pulled up readily
even from clay soil, after heavy
rain