Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-05-16

and prolific seeding. Such crops arc
| consequently boon or menace, de-
| pending upon how they are handled.
Besides the usual cultivated crops,
| be cultivated to advantage in the
spring with spike-tooth harrow or
| weeder This does not permanently
| injure the young crop, and it 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.
1 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
4 ing would turn under millions Of weed
seeds to make trouble in future years.
Moving to Prevent Seeding.
4 Moving is another way Of prevent
ing weeds from going to seed. AS q
rule, 1t is best to NOW when weeds
have reached the full-bloom stage.
Many farmers NOV their pastures
once or twice each year and as re-
suit have gradually driven out the
4 weeds and thickened the grass stand.
When there are patches in grain fields
! thick with weeds. it 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 hay crop early, In
order to prevent weeds from going to
seed as well as to secure better quail
. ity Of hay. After grain crop is re-
moved. 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 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 mulch for
the young grass.
.I Hand Work to Prevent Seeding.
! Quite often few scattered weeds
will occur in field. These weeds
can 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
J, either by hand pulling or by digging
, them out with mattock, hoe, or spud
+ so far below the surface that new top
{ growth will not spring up and mature
E seeds. Annual and biennial weeds
, will make no further appearance If
. pulled or cut off when they are in full
{ bloom. The spud is q tool with long
; handle and narrow chisel-like blade
! ! at one end. This is very effective In
: disposing of weeds with thick roots
such as bull thistle, mullein, and chic
+ ory. Many farmers have cleaned theil
t farms Of corn cookie, wild mustard
e and many other weeds by few hours
i Of hand work each year when these
y weeds We're In full blossom.
|. Spraying to Prevent Seeding.
= In case Of certain weeds infestine
small-grain crops 1t has been found
S profitable to spray with solution Of
o copper sulphate. iron sulphate, or salt
4 If this treatment does not entirely xii
+ the weeds, it at least prevents then
n from going to seed. Such treatment
t If we'll done, does not permanently in
: jure the grain and is effective agains
the weeds. This method seems to be Of
= most use against the wild mustart
" family Of plants.
d The spray solutions are made by dis
s. solving either - pounds of copper sui
n plate, 100 pounds Of iron sulphate, o
r, 125 pounds of common salt in so gal
Ions of water. This quantity of solu
II ton is sufficient to spray about ON
n acre. Any machine that throws a I'm
y mistlike spray may be used. Wher
J" areas of considerable size are to ~
IS treated. traction sprayer with a boon
c. IL to 20 feet long is the most economi
h cal equipment.