Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1921-06-08
WAY TO KILL QUACK
GRASS IS EXPLAINED
While Plant Is In Bloom Is OppOrtune
Time To Strike the
Weed.

While Plant Is In Bloom Is Opportune
Time To Strike the
Weed.
The April number of the Philadelphia
Farm Journal gives the following
article on the eradication Of Quack
grass =
Quack gress is the worst weed with
which farmers in the two northern
tiers of states have to contend This
article gives a simple method for the
complete eradication Of this bad pest
Why Quack Grass is a Bad Weed
Quack grass produces stems under
ground, as we'll as above ground These
underground stems have joints in them,
with a bud at each joint. just as do
the stems above ground. And it is the
underground stems that make quack
grass Il bad weed. Every bud on such
stems can throw up new plant.
Every time one of these underground
stems is broken with IL plow or cultiva
tor. you have new plant beginning
from the part broken off.
The Time to Strike and the Reason
If you dig into a quack grass sod in
early spring. you will find great fluln
bers of underground stems. At the APP
prOach of warm weather some of the
buds ON these stems begin to grow:
and they grow straight up to the sur
face. :, There they throw out a ring Of
real roots and form crown from which
lot of leaves and stems grow. But
at this time Of the year all the stems
that come out of a crown grow upward
ctr
formed until the plant begins to BIOS
som.
Then while the plant is in bloom. a
new crop of underground stems begins
to grow. All these stems come out Of
the crown, just as the stems that grow
| upright, and never from any other part
| Of the plant. If the grass is cut for
hay at exactly this time the growth of
| underground stems is completely stop
ped for few weeks. The plant can
not produce underground growth with
out lot of leaves up in the sunlight
and if the plant has been cut while
in bloom, it Immediately begins to
throw all it's energy into the produc-
| ton of new leaves and stems above
ground. This fact is very important
as we shall see.
1t is also of very great Importance
| that, by the time the plant blossoms
the old underground stems have done
their lifewOrk, which was to throw up
new growth to the surface of the soil.
They are through; and will gradually.
die during the latter part of the sum-
mer You do not need to pay any at
tentiOn to them.
Some farmers make the mistake of
trying to kill the underground stems
| early in the season. This is almost a
| useless task, for at that time of the
year every joint of these underground
stems can make a new plant But af-
ter the plants have reached the bloom
ing stage, the old underground stems
have finished their work. They do not
need killing then, for they are already
beginning to die. So don't try to kill
| the old underground stems of quack
grass. They can't be killed before mid
summer, and after that they die any
how
| In order to tell when quack is in
the blossoms open, and the anthers
hanging out of the flowers on slender
threads. This will be about two or
three weeks after the grass heads out.
When the earliest plants begin to
bloom, get out the mower and go to
work. >... -.-.., -.
Suppose now We let the grass grow
undistruhed until it begins to bloom.
AT that time the old underground stems
are done, and need no further atten.
ton; and there is no seed on the grow
| ing plants. II we cut the grass for hay
just at blooming time, we can feed the
hay with safety, for twill scatter no
seed over the farm The cutting also
stops the formation of new underground
stems for two or three weeks. There is
thus period Of nearly a month. just
after haying time, when quack grass
is not weed at all. By that mean
that it has no means Of reproducing
itself except by growth from the crown
It is as helpless as a field Of young
oats, and can be killed just as easily.
I. How to Strike.
To eradicate the pest completely, al
this time, all we have to do is to Kill
the growing crowns Of the plants. The
best way. to do this is to skin the soc
loose from the underlying soil in al
thin layer as possible say not .ovel
three or three and One-half inches thick
This can be done by blowing with {
broad, sharp share that will cut TIL,
!, sod entirely loose from the soil beneath
J, Deeper blowing will leave too much dir
lattached to the roots, and the plant!
! will go right on growing. The ides
is to have as little dirt in the turned
sod as possible hence the shallow
!, blowing. Il.
) IL the weather is dry, the overturnet
I sod will die promptly, and the work o
|: eradicat in1t the quack is finished. Blu
Iii the season is wet, you will need t