The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1918-05-16
PREVENT SEEDING is FIRST PRINCIPLE
IN WARFARE AGAINST INJURIOUS WEEDS
Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
II 1t is not practicable for the farm
er to dispose of his weeds when they
are small he should make every effort
to prevent them from going to seed.
II weeds are attacked when the most
advanced have just reached the full
blossom stage. they can be prevented
from seeding. At this stage, too, the
roots are at their weakest, especially
those of the ANIMALS and biennials,
which are largely exhausted. No
time should be lost, however, In dis
posing OF weeds when che full-blossom-
ing stage has been reached, as seeds
will. shortly be formed. Some weeds,
such as pigweed, produce blossoms
that are very inconspicuous, SO that
unless closely watched they will go
to seed before one Is aware of 1t.
TIlIaae to Control Weeds.
While tillage in its relation to
weeds usually is practiced for the
benefit Of the immediate crop, 1t also
may serve the purpose of preventing
hosts Of weeds from maturing seeds.
Thorough tillage serves the additional,
purpose Of encouraging the rapid
termination of weed seeds in>the soil
while killing the weed seedlings when
| young. In no way Is the old adage
"A stitch In time saves nine" better
| illustrated than in killing weeds by
tillage soon after they have germinat-
ed rather than delaying the work I'M
til they have attained some size.
The thorough preparation of the
seeded for every crop Is an impor-
tant part In the control of weeds.
After blowing, nearly all farmers use
q disk or springtooth or splke-tooth
harrow to reduce the soil to a
good seeded condition. Each Of
these borrowings destroys hosts Of
young weed seedlings. AS 1t is only
the weed seeds within n few inches
of the surface of the soil that ger
inmate and as the borrowings encour-
age the rapid termination of the weed
seeds, thoroughly narrowing at this pc
riod may be relied upon to kill large
portion of the weeds that will appear
during the season. In fact, 1t some
|
been so well prepared that after plant
Ing a cultivated crop, such as corn,
cotton, or potatoes, but little cultiva-
ton Is required.
XIII Weeds by Dragging.
After planting the cultivated crop
the same object, that Of attacking the
weeds when young, should be kept In
mind. To this end drag harrow OF
a spike-tooth harrow Is frequently
used, both before and after the croI
comes up. More weeds Will be killed
by one dragging at this time than by
several civilizations when the plants
have become larger. The weeder Is
also valuable implement for use al
this stage. By removing some of the
teeth Of this tool 1t can be used If
corn until the crop Is nearly wais
high. Indeed, some excellent crops OF
corn have been grown by the use Of
the weeder only. Some soils are too
stony or otherwise not suited to the
use Of this implement, but where 4
can be used the weeder is one of tn,
most valuable tools on the farm. Tn,
: drag harrow and weeder may also b,
used to advantage with potatoes, cot
ton, and other cultivated crops. Afte
the crops have become so large tina
: these implements can no longer b.
used, the tillage is performed witt
= cultivators. Cultivators that destro
> weeds most effectively should be used
The best tools for this purpose var.
with the kind of crop and the type an,
condition of the SOIL. so that 1t 1
difficult to lay down exact rules as t
!, the choice of cultivators. Intercultura
tillage Is especially effective in con
q trolling weeds If the crop has bee
y planted In checkrows so as to permi
i the implement to work in two dlret
4 lions.
If the work of preparation and al
tertillage has been thorough. fe,
weeds will come up and go to see
d after cultivation stops. This is e:
t pecially true where winter cove