The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-30
FIGHTING THE WEEDS
 ON THE FARM
Annvalsand Biennial Weeds.

w WaSAaaSIO0, ApT1l- 2S-ln the con- tRol of weeds there are three main principles to be observed: preventing the weeds from going to seed on the farme and in cases of perennialss starving out the underground parts by preventing them from making top growth. These are outlined, to- gether with Q discussion on handling the three kinds of weeds in a new Farmers Bulletin No. 660, Weeds: How to Control Them of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In di- viding weeds into three classes: an nuals. hiennlals and perennials, the Bulletin shows that the annuals and biennials propagate themselves by seeds alone, and in dealing with them the two main principles involved are preventing weeds from going to seed on the farm and preventing weed seeds. beinS drought to the farm.
 An enormous number of seeds are produced by weeds. the number vary ing from 100 to several thousands per plant. Some weeds, such as, wild carrot, burdook and sow-thist1e. are capable of producing 20,0 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 pre- vented from seeding. At this stage, too, the roots are at their weakest, especially those or the annua1S ana lbiennia1s which are largely exhausted.
 Ti1lage in it's relation to weeds usu- ally is practiced for the benefit of the immediate crop, but it may also serve the purpose of preventing hosts of weeds from maturing seeds. Thorough tillage serves the addition al purpose of encouraging the rapid germination of weed seedlings while young. Thus the thorough prepar- at1on. of the seed bed of every crof' is an important in the control of weeds. Bach narrowing destroys hosts of young weed seedlings as it is only the weed seeds within a few inches of the surface of the soil that After planting the cultivated crop the same object, that of attackinF the weeds when young, should be kept l in ulind. More weeds will be killed l just before and after the crop comes up, pby the use of a drag harrow or | spiE1e-tooth harrow, than by severa cultivations when the plants are larg- CT. Cultivated crops offer abundant opportunity to rid a farm of weeds and if properly handled they are rightly. termed cleaning cropss' but where these crops are not, well cult1- vated, weeds are actually stimulated to vigorous growth and prolific seed- ing.
 After the small grain crop is harv- ested in the northern states it is off ten considered good practice to har- row or disk the stubble to encours age the germfnation of weed seeds that are at or near the soil surface. f The seedlings are subsequently, killed by the fall blowing or by the cold weather. Some weeds, such as rag weed and foxtaiI,. start to mature soon after harvest, so that care must be taken to turn the plants under before | the weeds approach maturity. Flow ing without the preliminary dfsking would turn under millions of weed seeds to make trouble in future years.
 Moving is another way of prevent 1 ing weeds from going to seed, con- tinues the bulletin. As a rule it is best to mow when weeds have reach I are patches in grain fields thick with i weeds 1t win be well to cut them, grain and all, before the weeds start 1 to go to seed. Most farmers unoW or cut their fence-row and roadside -once or twice year to prevent their seeding. It is generally conceded sthat it pays to cut a hay crop early in to seed as well as to secure a better qua1ttY of hay.
 The individual farmer is almost helpless against the introduction of | weeds on his farm when the seed6 are blown by the wind, and the sftua- ton requires community action Most l4of our states have weed laws which
 were enacted to prevent certain
 weeds from goang, to seed but these laws are not rfg1d1y enforced. But
 seeds are introduced into the farm 1 in many other ways than by the wind. I They are brought in as seed impur1- l ties. Seeds are also introduced in l some stock feeds. A number of states require the ingredients of stock-feeds to be named on the bags and this is desired in all states. Some states issue feed-contro1 bulletins I stating the analysis of various feeds i offered for sale including the propor- 1 ton of weed seeds. If the farmer
 reads these bulletins and the labels 1 on the bags he may be in a position l to judge whether he is Introducing
 weed seeds on his farm in stock
 feeds.
 Another means Of intrQduction o1
 weed seeds is through stable manure
 moved from the town in a, fresSa state.
 make the weed seeds rot is after ii
 that weed seeds in manure piles ro4
 quickly under ordinary conditions SC
 that most of them have lost their
 vitality in two months. But whether
 it is practical for the farmer to com
 post his manure and possibly lose
 some of it's fertiIfzing value depends
 largely npoh his ability to handle the
 manure and his cropping system.
 |