The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-29
SHOULD USE CHEMICALS
] ID Kill WHO MUSTARD
State Horticulturist Outlines
Method Of Preparing
New Formula.
- 81.
BETTER PRODUCTION
Costs Very Little and En-
larges Size Of Crop by
Twenty Per Cent


|. ! 4hc farmers i'm Montana, as in, other
Horticultural districts. arc bothered
with many ,aoxious weeds. especially
the wild mustards. These weeds do
great deal Of damage in grain fields.
where they cannot be controlled by
means OF cultivation.
o. ". Newman in tho Monthly Bull
letin Of the California State Commits
sion Of Horticulture for June discusses
the control OF mustards and other
broad -leavcd weeds by the use OF
chemical sprays.
It was demonstrated in Yolo county
BY spraying experiments that wild
mustard could be successfully con-
trolled by the use OF an iron sulfatc
spray. While the use Of this chemical
Is not at all new to scientists, very
few farmers have ever seen the prac-
teal results which may be secured
from it's use.
How to Make Spray.
Tho usual formula for iron sulfatc
solution Is 100 pounds Of iron-sulfate
TO So gallons of water. This spray
should be applied to tho growing weeds
when they are about six inches high.
The weeds at this time, are tender and
more easily killed than when they
become larger: also the grain crops
nre less injured at this time than II
| the spray application Is made later
| \ spray pump capable OF sustaining
at least $50 pounds pressure should he
used with II set of nozzles arranged In
a horizontal boom six to II feet long
The MOBILES should be IL to Is inches
apart. and in such position that the
spray should be used as it throws d
fan. shaped penetrating spray. 1t re-
| u,tires about 80 gallons of this SOLE
ton to cover an acre
aslr2 Won't Hurt Grain.
Contrary to the common opinion this
/ spray will do very little damage t.
craving grain because the growing
point Of the grain plant Is covered by
a sheath of leaves. The tender leave:
Of the mustard are, however. easily
destroyed by the poisonous iron -sulfat'
and soon wither. leaving, the space the!
formerly occupied to be filled by TIL
growing grain. thus increasing thu
yield, ,
Cost Of Spraying.
Tho spraying in California was don
at an approximate cost Of 81 per acre
However. at the present price Of ma
ltcrial and labor in Montana 1t woul'
probably be we'll to add another dol
lar to this estimate. The cost Is ais,
largely dependent upon the charactc
Of the land. the facility for reloadinl
and the proximity of the water sup
ply. On fairly. level ground a goo
spray machine should cover from ?
to 30 acres a day: this. of course. re
quires that a team and water tank b
used as a tender to the spray machine
| Will Increase Crops.
The writer believes that the in
creased, yield from the sprayed field
lin California will. be at least 20 pc
cent. Experiment stations Throughout
the country report gains amounting I
80 and often so per cent. This gnin
actual weight of hay and grain a
compared to Yields on nearby area
; and does not include the fact that tn
crop secured is clean and conse
Quently worth more on the markc
Assuming that there is 20 per cen
gain and that the average land pro
duccs % sacks of barley to the acr
J the, increased yield due to sprasin
would amount to five sacks per acre.
This means Of wild mustard contrt
; is one which is worthy of investisatio
by the farmers Of Montana.
a. l.. STRACZZ.
a. + State Hortic,,lturist