The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-12-08

localities where weed moving Is prsc
ticed and where II is not is very strik
Ing. Moving will usually hold liz
check most of the common weeds. such
as ragweed, oxeye daisy, thistles. ano
brlars. few sheep on cattle pas.
lures have been found very efficient in
keeping down many troublesome
weeds.
Danger Of HawIweed
There recently has been introduced
into southwestern Virginia weec
that gives promise of being more dam.
aging 10 pastures than anything that
mas heretofore appeared. 1t is the field
hawkweed (Hieracium pratense). a
low-growing plant, somewhat resem.
biing narrow-leaved plantain, but the
stems and leaves are hairy. 1t spreads
by underground stems and forms a
dense mat, which crowds out most 9th.
err plants. The flowers are bright vel.
low, borne on naked, upright stalks
8 TO 70 inches high. This weed, along
with other closely related species. has
already damaged the pastures of New
York and New England greatly. II
could now be eradicated from the
bluegrass region If the farmers would
attack it before it is distributed fur.
! ther
4 Hawkweed may be DESTROYED nv
chopping it out with a hoe or mattock.
If this method is used, care should be
exercised to get all the rootstocks in
the upper inch or two of the soil and
destroy them. Another method. which
seems to be about the best that can
be suggested at the present time, is to
spray the plants on a clear day with
a solution of ordinary salt. Three
pounds of salt to one gallon of water
Is the proportion that has given the
best results. Every patch treated
should be inspected occasionally. as il
may require two or three sprayings to
Kill the hawkweed. If the weed is in
small patches, which is the way if u.s.
uaily starts, man equipped with
knapsack sprayer can cover large
area in a day. The spraying may be
done at any time, but it is much easier
TO md the plant when it is in bloom.
The snowy yellow flowers are very
conspicuous and may be seen and rec.
ognized for considerable distance.
Profits From Bluegrass Grazing.
The investigators studied carefully
the industry in a number of localities
to determine, if possible, the value of
hlua q nc ctr
tie. In % pastures studied, they found
that the yearly returns per acre ranged
from $7.36 to $240S. From these fig.
ures, however, had to be deducted the
cost of winter feeding, in which was
included roughage produced on the
farm, figured at fair price. The net
returns for the pasture varied from
Sz'lo to Sl4OS an acre, with an aver
age of $500. This return per acre
or pasture must pay the taxes, insur-
ance, fencing, and labor of caring for
the pastures and stock, and not much
is left as interest on the investment. !
AT the prevailing prices of land, the
average bluegrass farmer, according to
the data obtained from these farmers. |
does not make over or 4 per cent on
his investment. The average rental |
price per acre for pasture land in this |
region is So an acre for fairly good |
land to So for the best. This is said to |
be safe and attractive business to |
men with considerable capital.
Where sheep are grazed, the returns
range from $3.50 to $1266 per acre in
SIX pastures studied, and the total out
lay for wintering seldom exceeds 81 a
head, and usually averages rs cents.
1t Is pointed out, however, that the
chief drawbacks of the sheep industry
OF the bluegrass region are dogs, in
ternal parasites, such as stomach
worms, nodular disease, etc. The sheep
are less subject to stomach worms in
the high mountain regions, whereas
these parasites cause such losses in
other sections that 1t Is not practicable
TO raise any breeding ewes. The ar
1cle, in connection with the grazing
industry, points out the difficulty of
getting stockers, and states that there
should be fairly profitable business
IN the cheaper lands of the Blue
Ridge and in the Piedmont section in
'aising beef-bred calves for the blue
grass graziers. This will necessitate,
however, the keeping of much better
,rade of beef cattle than is usual. A
rood beef-bred calf will sell readily
when six months old for $25 to $50.
+ the dam is of a milking strain con-
siderable additional revenue may be
obtained from the sale of dairy prod
lets after the calf is sold. This sug-
'estion is made, not that this type of
arming is more profitable than dairy
ng, for 1t is not, but because it re-
Iuires far less efficient labor than
lairytng and offers means of utiliz-
ng a vast acreage Of quilted hills,
Which at present is waste land.