Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-05-24

prepared by the United States Depart
uent of Agriculture.)
If it 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.
If 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 it.
TilIaee to Control Weeds.
While tillage in it's relation to
weeds usually is praeticed for the
benefit of the immediate crop, it 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 un-
til they have attained some size.
The thorough preparation of the
| seedbed for every crop is an impOr-
tant part in the control of weeds
After plowing, nearly all farmers use
a disk or spring-tooth or spike-tooth
harrow to reduce the soil to 6
good seeded condition. Each OF
these harrowings destroys hosts Of
young weed seedlings. AS it is only
the weed seeds within a few inches
of the surface of the soil that ger
inmate and as the harrowings encour
age the rapid termination of the weeG
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, it some
times happens that the seedbed has
been so well prepared that after plant
ing cultivated crop, such as corn
cotton, or potatoes, but little cultiva
ton is required.
XIII Weeds by Dragging.
After planting the cultivated crol
the same object, that of attacking tn,
weeds when young, should be kept il
mind. To this end a drag harrow o.
spike-tooth harrow is frequent,
used, both before and after the crol
comes up. More weeds will be killet
by one dragging at this time than b,
several civilizations when the plant
have become larger. The weeder i
also valuable implement for use d
this stage. By removing some of tn
teeth of this tool it can be used i
corn until the crop is nearly wais
high. Indeed, some excellent crops O
corn have been grown by the use O
the weeder only. Some soils are to
; stony or otherwise not suited to th
use Of this implement but where
. can be used the weeder is one Of th
most valuable tools on the farm. Th
drag harrow and weeder may also b
used to advantage with potatoes, CO
| ton, and other cultivated crops. Afte
the crops have become so large ths
4 these implements can no longer b
used, the tillage is performed wit
cultivators. Cultivators that destro
weeds most effectively should be USE
The best tools for this purpose var
with the kind of crop and the type an
condition Of the soil, so that it
. difficult to lay down exact rules as |
the choice of cultivators. Intercultur;
illage is especially effective in COZ
trolling weeds if the crop has bee
planted in checkrows so as to perm
: the implement to work in two dire
tions.
If the work of preparation and a
:, tertillage has been thorough, fe
weeds will come up and go to see
after cultivation stops. This is e
u pecia1ly true where a winter Gov
crop, such as wheat, crimson Glove
or vetch follows the cultivated crop.
Cultivated crops, therefore, off
abundant opportunity to rid a far
II Of weeds. If properly handled, tn,
!. are rightly termed Cleaning crops
Il On the other hand, where these GRO
q are not well cultivated, weeds are a
Il tually stimulated to vigorous grow