The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-05-18
OUACKCRASS CAN
Be CONTROLLED
Aoxious Plant Can Rarely Be Ex-
terminated on Large Areas,
Says Recent Bulletin.
PLOW UNDER IN HOT WEATHER
Weed Works Its Way Into Fields, Be-
coming Thoroughly Established
Before Recognlzed-lt Re-
sembles Wheat.

(Prepared by the United States Department
OF Agrieulture.)
QuacRgrass can rarely be extermi-
mated On large areas, but II can be
brought under reasonable control, says
the United States Department OF Agri-
culture. The best plan. according to
Farmers Bulletin 1907, "Quackgrass,
by l.. w. Kephart Of the bureau OF
plant industry, which has Just been
published, is TO allow 1t 10 form
sod and then plow II In midsummer
during dry, hot weather. After plow'
ing, the field should be narrowed ire
quently until winter and the Following
year planted with cultivated crop
Quackgrass occurs in this country
most abundantly In the region north
of the Ohio and east of the missouri
rivers, but during recent years the
weed has been found invading the val
ley lands and irrigated soils In the
pacific Northwest where 1t promises
10 be as troublesome as in the East.
One of the principal reasons for the
wide and continued distribution or
quackgrass is the fact that 1t does
not look like weed. There are no
bright, snowy flowers; coarse, ugly
leaves; or other features by which
weeds are distinguished. To the
casual observer the plant is simply
grass, and thus 1t works its way into
the fields, becoming thoroughly estab-
lished before 1t is recognized. 1t Is
most important, therefore, that the
farmer should be able to recognize
quackgrass at sight.
Closely Related to Wheat.
In general appearance quackgrass
resembles thln-headed variety Of
wheat. The plant Is, In fact, closely
related to wheat and as there are not
many wild grasses which resemble
that cereal, the occurrence Of wheat
like grass In the field should be re-
garded with suspicion. The grasses
which might be confused most COM
monty with quackgrass OH this ac-
count are western wheat-grass, slender
wheat-grasS, and wild rye, in the west
ern states, and Italian rye-grass and
perennial rye-gruss in the eastern
bldltS. -Nollc VI lHtSe biuSSSo 10 nav
TO destroy. Positive Identification of
quackgrass can be secured by examn-
ing the seed heads, the leaves, and the
rOotstocks. The bulletin on the sub
ject contains Photographic plates and
detailed description of the weed at Its
different stages of growth that make
Identification easy.
While there Is no quick and easy
method of controlling quackgrass, and
different methods have to be employed
under varying conditions, experience
has shown that certain fundamental
phases of control are constant and de-
pendable, and may be accepted as
principles upon which the practice of
control Is based. ~
Quackgrass control depends more
than anything else on the character Of
the season and fair weather Is abso-
lutely essential II any progress is to
be made. Cultivation in wet weather
merely encourages the weed to spread.
Wet weather, Of course, cannot be fore
told, and 1t often happens that rainy
weather sets in after campaign Of
eradication Is well under way. Under
such circumstances the only thing to
do Is to accept the situation phllosoph-
fcally, abandon the work temporarily,
and await more favorable season.
When 1t is possible to plow a