River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1916-06-08
HEAVY TAX PAID TO
WEEDS EVERY YEAR
Pests Cut Down Yields, Cause
Extra Work and Lower
Price of Land.

crop losses aSST0SdLlHS mllIlOuS QL
dollars occur annually throughout the
United States due to lack of efficient
weed control. Immense areas are in
tested with weeds to an extent that
makes it very advisable to carry on
a determined warfare to eradicate
them.
For many years those interested in
permanent agriculture have consid-
cred the menace of weeds and have
issued warnings against them. This
early work dealt wholly with proven
tive measures, largely along the lines
Of seed inspection to insure clean
seed.
Many owners of virgin soils have
doubted il weeds could ever become
seriously troublesome. The fears of
the more foresighted, however, have
been realized and there are now many
farms in this country which have been
abandoned because the weeds have
multiplied and spread SO rapidly that
the owners have become discouraged
and given up in despair NoXious
weeds are spreading at a rate which
has alarmed those who are acquainted
with the seriousness of the situation.
There are many farms where 25 per
cent of the producing capacity
has been destroyed by weeds. There
is a great necessity of some concert
ed action for weed control and eradi-
cation with respect to two of the most
II
Some Weeds Worse Than Others.
While there are many weeds which
are proving troublesome on farms,
there are two, according to r. A.
Moore of the college of agriculture,
which are prominently noxious, par
ticularly in Wisconsin and the north
central states. These are Quack grass
and Canada thistle. These weeds are
extremely difficult to eradicate be-
cause Of their peculiar nature and
habits
Wild mustard has also become a
very serious pest in the grain fields of
many states, and in some sections is
getting beyond the control of farmers
using ordinary methods of eradica-
ton. Land values have deteriorated
where the fields have become thickly
seeded to mustard Considerable eff
fort has been expended by farmers in
pulling the mustard plants when in
full bloom at time when the weed
could be easily recognized in the grain
fields, but when fields became badly
infested yvac Joh nrfn 70 g
and often was done at the expense of
one-half or more of the crop.
Other weeds which are especially
obnoxious are the sow thistle. star
thistle, English plantain, ox-eye daisy,
toad flax, 6odder, and velvet leaf, and
in many sections other weeds are
serious.
Must Fight Quack Grass.
Mr.. Moore describes Quack grass
as perennial plant living from year
to year unless prevented by some IN
usual circumstances. 1t reproduces it.
self by means of seed and by means
of the rootstocks. It is the rootstock
which gives the plant its noxious char
acter, as this must be killed to eradi-
cate it and it possesses a great deal of
vitality. AT each joint new roots are
thrown out and at any of them new
stems start. In this way the grass
spreads rapidly and a piece of the
rootstock with one of these joints on
1t will produce a new plant, although
it may not be over one-half inch long.
The whole plant grows rapidly and
ripens its seed usually in July and,
where growing in meadows, may be
gathered in the hay, from whence it
gets into the manure to be scattered
broadcast over the farm. If growing
in grain it will be harvested and
threshed with the grain, and If the
grain is not graded with extreme care
some of the quack grass will be sown
on the fields the next year.
Canada Thistles Menace Farming.
Like Quack grass, the Canada this
tie is perennial plant. In height 1t