Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-04-09
The Weed Problem.

The Weed Problem.
ATTENTION.
Weeds injure crops both in quantity
and quality. They greatly increase the
labor involved in farming. Other con-
ditions being equal, the yield Of most
crops is inversely proportional to the
growth of weeds. IL farmers in general
knew the extent of the loss which they
cause-a loss that grows greater each
, year-they would practice control
measures more diligently than most OF
them do. "The Weed Problem In
American Agriculture" is discussed in q
chapter Of the Yearbook Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. 1t discusses weeds,
their cost, their habits, their benefits,
and their control.
United States, the publication says, 1t 10
es timsted that weeds reduce the yield Of
corn by 10 per cent; tame hay, 8 to 10
per cent; potatoes, to 10 per cent;
spring grain, II to Is per cent; winter
grain, 8 to o per cent; tobacco, fruit, and
truck crops, o to 5 per cent; and pasture,
8 to so per cent.
HOW WEEDS CAUSE LOSSES.
The extra labor required to keep
weeds under control 10 probably the
greatest economic loss which they cause.
This labor cost falls most heavily
ON the inteftilled crops. Re-
cords collected by the department
show that on the average diversified
farm the cost of tillsge operations, about
half of which is necessary for the con-
troll of weeds, comprises from 80 10 40
per cent of the total cost of farm opera
| tiops.
Some weeds, such as wild onions,
bitterweeds, and rsgweeds, cause grea.
annoy ance to dairymen and milk dealers,
for the cows eating this class of weeds
give milk of q disagreeable odor and
flavor. The loss of cattle and sheep due
to poisonous weeds Is very great. On
the United States national forest ranges
alone the loss in 1915 amounted TO 6,64S
cattle and 16, 273 sheep, besides number
of horses, goats, and other animals.
In some sections weeds lower the
price of land very materially, and cases
have been cited where farms badly in
tested with such weeds a. nut-grass,
quack grass, and Canada thistle have
been abandoned. Weeds not only re-
suit in great financial loss, but also In
great personal discomfort, such diseases
as hay fever being caused by ragweed
and other species. Other classes OF
weeds are responsible for the spread OF
plant disease and insect pests. The re-
cent rapid spread of white pine blister
rust which is threatening several hun
dred million dollars worth OF the most
valuable pine forests, Is due entirely to
the presence of certain forest weeds.
Many water weeds cause trouble IN
drainage and irrigation bitches by their
rank growth which 10 sufficient to stop
the how of water.
METHODS OF Controlling WEEDS.
Crop rotation and diversification are
the greatest foes of weeds, and usually
where q single-crop system Of farming is
practised weeds are exceedingly trouble
some. In many instances where the
single-crop system 10 practised lands
have become 90 foul with weeds that
certain crops can no longer be grown
profitably.
To control or eradicate weeds it is
first necessary to determine the kind,
the character and habits of growth and
reproduction, and sufficient about their
life history to fix the time when they are
most susceptible to treatment. The
publication divides weeds into two
classes, first the class which because OF
their habits of growth require several
methods Of treatment and which In
cludes such weeds az Canada thistle,
ouack. grass, hawkweeds, nutgrass,
johnson grass, and many others. The
second class ia composed of ANNALS,
biennials, and such perennials as require
no special treatment TO kill them. In
the control of weeds of this class which
ia true of all weeds, Ii is necessary to
prevent their spread from seeds. This
can be done by destroying weeds along
roadsides, fence rows, in vacant fields,
ETC.. before they 20 to seed. A system
attic rotation of crops also prevents
many weeds from seeding. In small
grain and hay farming no feature OF
weed control 10 more important tnan
the use of clean seed, from all weed
seeds. II is important also to keep on
the lookout for the appearance OF new
weeds, az the spread Of many trouble
some weeds can be prevented If control
measures are employed when they ap-
pear.
Cooperation is one of the first e.
ssntiais of success in any big commercial
enterprise. Cooperation among the
farmers is just a. essential for control
| ling weeds. Weed control 10 commu-
nity problem rather than one for the in
diyidual farmer to solve, and without
community action the efforts of the In
diyidusl farmer are usually discoursg-
ine. This is true because where weeds
are allowed to grow undisturbed they
produce sufficient seeds each year to In
| feat the adjacent lands. Agricultural
clubs and other farm organizations
could perhaps undertake no more i'm.
portsnt cooperative work than that OF
controlling weeds. The advantages OF
community action for the control OF
| weeds, says the publication, can not be
too strongly emphasized.
American and German Efficiency.
The sssrchlight of war has brought
out many interesting facts, and one Oh
these is that the Wanted German ef.
ficisncy will not always stand the test OF
lcomparison with American efficiency.
The Germans boasted OF being sne
~-..,..t f.rmars On earth. Investigation