Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-06-22
Fighting the Weeds.

In the control of weeds there are three
main principles to be observed: prevent
ing the weeds from going to seed en- the
farm, preventing the weed seed from be-
ing brought to the farm, and in the
cases of perennials, starving out the un-
derground parts by preventing them
from making top growth. These are
outlined, together with discussion on
handling the three kinds Of weeds In q
new Farmers Bulletin No. 660, "Weeds:
How to Control Them" of the U. 5.
Department of Agriculture. In dividing
weeds into three classes; ANNALS, bien-
malls, and perennials, the bulletin shows
that the ANNALS and biennials propa-
gate themselves by seeds alone, and In
dealing with them the two main prin-
ciplss involved are preventing weeds
from going to seed on the farm and pre-
venting weed seeds being brought TO the
farm.
An enormous number of seeds are pro-
duced by weeds, the number varying
from 100 to several thousands per plant.
Some weeds, such as wild carrot, bur
dock, and sow.thistle. are capable OF
producing 10000 or more seeds to the
plant.
If the weeds are attacked when the
most advanced have just reached the
full bloom stage they can be prevented
from seeding. At this stage, too, the
roots are at their weakest, especially
those OF the ANIMALS and biennials which
are largely exhausted.
Tillage in it's relation to weeds usual
" is practiced for the benefit of the i'm
mediate crop, but it may also serve the
purpose of preventing hosts OF weeds
from maturing seeds. Thorough til
lage serves the additional purpose OF en-.
couraging the rapid termination or
weed seedlings while young. Thus the
thorough preparation of the seed bed OF
every crop is important in the control OF
weeds. Each narrowing destroys hosts
of Young weed seedlings as it is only
the weed seeds within few inches OF
the surface of the soil that germinate.
After planting the cultivated crop the
same object, that of attacking the weeds
when young, should be kept in mind.
More weeds will be killed just before
and after the crop comes up, by the use
of drag barrow or spike-tooth harrow,
than BY several civilizations when the
plants are larger. Cultivated crops Of
fer abundant opportunity to rid farm
of weeds and if properly handled they
are rightly termed cleaning crops"
but where these crops are not we'll culti-
vated, weeds are actually stimulated to
vigorous growth and prolific seeding.
After the small grain crop is harvest
ed in the northern states, it is often con-
sidered good practice to harrow or disk
the stubble to encourage the germina-
ton of weed seeds that are at or near
the soil surface. The seedlings are sub
killed by the fall plowing or
by the cold weather. Some weeds, such
as ragweed and foxtail, start to mature
soon after harvest, so that care must be
taken 10 turn the plants under before
the weeds approach maturity. Flowing
without the preliminary disking would
turn under millions of weed seeds to
make trouble in future years.
Moving is another way of preventing
weeds from going to seed, continues the
bulletin. As a rule, it Is best to NOW
when weeds have reached the full-bloom
stage. When there are patches in grain
fields thick with weeds it will be we'll
to cut them, grain and all, before the
weeds start to 60 to seed. Most farmers
NOW or cut their fence-row and road
side once or twice year to prevent
their seeding. 1t is generally conceded
that it pays to cut hay crop early in
order to prevent weeds from going to
seed as well as to secure better quail
ity of hay.-U. S. Department OF Agri'
cnltura