The Prescott daily news., 1918-05-15


 ment of Agriculture)
 If 1t Is not practicable for the farm CT 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 annuals and biennials, which are largely exhausted. No time should be lost, however, in dis posing of weeds when the 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.
 Tillage 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 germination 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 blowing, nearly all farmers use disk or q spring-tooth or spike-tooth harrow to reduce the soil to good seedbed condition. Each of these harrowings destroys hosts of young weed seedlings. As 1t is only the weed seeds within a few inches of the surface of the soil that ger minate and as the harrowings encour- age the rapid germination of the weed seeds, thoroughly narrowing at this pc portion of the weeds that will appear during the season. In fact, it some times happens that the seedbed has been so we'll prepared that after plant ing a cultivated crop, such as corn, cotton, or potatoes. but little cultiva- tion Is required.
 Kill 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 or spike-tooth harrow Is frequently used, both before and after the crop comes up. More weeds will be killed by one dragging at this time than by several cultivations when the plants have become larger. The weeder is also a valuable implement for use at this stage. By removing some of the teeth of this tool 1t can be used in corn until the crop is nearly waist 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 it can be used the weeder is one of the most valuable tools CT the farm. The drag harrow and weeder may also be used to advantage with potatoes, cot ton, and other cultivated crops. After the crops have become so large that these implements can no longer be used, the tillage is performed with cultivators. Cultivators that destroy weeds most effectively should be used. The best tools for this purpose vary with the kind of crop and the type and condition of the soil, so that 1t is difficult to lay down exact rules as to the choice of cultivators. Intercultural | tillage is especially effective in con- | trolling weeds If the crop has been planted in checkrows so as to permit the implement to work in two direc- 1 tionS.
 If the work of preparation and af- tertillage has been thorough. few weeds will come up and go to seed after cultivation stops. This is es- pecially true where a winter cover