The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-04-27
CAN
Be CONTROLLED.
Moxious Plant Can Rarely Be Ex-
terminated on Large areas,
Says Recent Bulletin.
.PLOW UNDER IN HOT WEATHER
Weed Works It's Way Into FIELDS, Be
coming Thoroughly Established
Before Recognizable Re-
sembies Wheat.

i
prepared by the United States Department
"A of Agriculture)
4 Quackgrass can rarely be extermi-
mated on large areas, but it 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 to form q
sod and then pillow it In midsummer
during dry, hot weather. After plow-
ing, the field should be narrowed fire.
quently until winter and the following
year planted with a 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 It promises
to be as troublesome as in the East.
One of the principal reasons for the
wide and continued distribution Of
quackgrass Is the fact that 1t does
not look like a weed. There are 40
bright, snowy flowers; coarse, ugly
leaves; or other features by which
weeds are distinguished. To the
casual observer the plant is simply a
grass, and thus it works its way into
the fields, becoming thoroughly estab-
lished before it. is recognized. 1t is
most important, therefore, that the
farmer should be able TO- recognize
quackgrass, at sight. .s
Closely, Related to Wheat.
In general appearance quackgrass
resembles thin-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 suspicious. The grasses
which might be confused most COM
monty with Nquackgrass- on 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-grass in the eastern
states. None of these grasses is hard
to destroy. Positive Identification of
quackgrass can be secured by examin-
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 It's
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 If 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 it 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 philosoph-
ically, abandon the work temporarily,
and await more favorable season.
When it is possible to pillow a
quack-infested field so that the roots
can be covered to a great depth, as is
sometimes practiced, using two plows,
one following the other in the same
furrow, this method has been found
very satisfactory. The work requires
skillful plowmen, however, and special
types of plows, and the soil must be
deep and easily turned.
Work Must Be Thorough.
To be effective against quackgrass,
cultivation and narrowing must be
thorough, frequent. and persistent.
Halfway. cultivation Is worse than
none. Certain systems of cropping are
suggested in the bulletin as means
Of holding quackgrass in check on
large areas. The use of smother crops
that make heavy. dense growth, and
kill the weeds by drowning and shad-
Ing. is also suggested under certain
conditions. Miscellaneous methods of
control for small areas are discussed.
On small patches tar paper covering
can be used effectively to smother the
quackgrass. but this method is too la
borious for large areas.
Those interested in the method of
quackgrass control may have the bull
letin free of charge by writing to the
United States Department of Agricul-
fure WASHINGTON D. c.