Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-05-17

$3.50 AHHAI I1NA1b S1E1
consequently a boon or Il menace, de-
pending upon how they are handled.
Besides the usual cultivated crops,
sm~all-grain crops can also sometimes
be cultivated to advantage in the
spring with a spike-tOoth harrow or
weeder. This does not permanently
injure the young crop, and 1t kills
hosts of small weed seedlings which
would otherwise make trouble. Farm
ers in the upper Columbia river basin
are able to control wild mustard by
repeatedly narrowing fall-sOwn wheat
in the spring; without this narrowing
the mustard would be very trouble
some.
After the small-grain crop is har-
vested it Is often good practice in the
Northern states to harrow or disk the
stubble to encourage the termination
Of the weed seeds that are at or near
the soil surface. The seedlings are
killed by the fall blowing or by cold
weather. Some weeds, such as rag
weed and foxtail, start to mature seeds
soon after harvest, so that care must
be taken to turn the plants under be-
fore the seeds approach maturity.
Flowing without the preliminary disk
ing would turn under millions of weed
seeds to make trouble in future years.
Moving to Prevent Seeding.
Moving is another way of prevent
ing weeds from going to seed. AS n
rule, it is best to NOW when weeds
have reached the full-bloom stage.
Many farmers NOW their pastures
once or twice each year and as a re-
suit have gradually driven out the
weeds and thickened the grass stand.
When there are patches in grain fields
thick with weeds, 1t will pay to cut
them, grain and all, before the weeds
start to go to seed. Most careful
farmers NOW or cut their fence-rOw
and roadside weeds once or twice a
year to prevent their seeding.
1t pays to cut a hay crop early, in
order to prevent weeds from going to
seed as well as to secure a better quail
ity of hay. After a grain crop Is re-
moved, a crop of weeds, such as rag
weed or ~foxtail, usually follows, which,
If not disturbed, not only reseeds the
land for further crops of weeds, but
may do much damage to a young seed
ing Of clover or grass. Moving these
weeds will prevent most of them from
going to seed, and, further, the clip
pings will be Of value as a mulch for
the young grass.
Hand Work to Prevent SEEDING.
Quite often a few scattered weeds
will occur in a field. These weeds
"A be removed by hand with little
work, whereas If allowed to mature
they would thoroughly seed the land
and make trouble for the future. Such
weeds may be prevented from seeding
either by hand pulling or by digging
them out with a mattOck, hoe, or spud
so far below the surface that new top
growth will not spring up and mature
seeds. Annual and biennial weeds
will make no further appearance IL
pulled or cut off when they are in full
bloom. The spud is a tool with a long
handle and a narrow chlsel-llke blade
at n end. This is very effective in
%dlspOslng of weeds with thick roots,
such as bull thistle, MULLEN, and chic
DRY. Many farmers have cleaned their
farms of corn cookie, wild mustard,
and many other weeds by a few hours
of hand work each year when these
weeds were in full blossom.
Spraying 10 Prevent Seeding.
In case Of certain weeds infesting
small-grain crops 1t has been found
profitable to spray with a solution OF
copper sulphate, iron sulphate, or salt.
If this treatment does not entirely kill
the weeds, 1t at least prevents them
from going TO seed. Such treatment,
If well done, does not permanently In
jure the grain and is effective against
the weeds. This method seems to be OF
most use against the wild mustard
family Of plants.
The spray solutions are made by dis
solving either u pounds Of copper sui
phate, 100 pounds of iron sulphate, or
125 pounds Of common salt In. 80 gal
Ions of water. This quantity Of sOlu-
ton Is sufficient to spray about one
acre. ANY machine that throws a fine
mlstlike spray may be used. Where
areas Of considerable size are to be
treated, a traction sprayer with a boom
- to 20 feet long is the most eeOnOml.
cal equipment.