Evening star., 1943-05-23

all gardeners, but If we did no,
have them many flowers would suf.
fer for lack of cultivation. Soils
would lack the humus furnished
by dead weed roots and many q
yard would be without green cove,
during the summer months when
bluegrass is dormant, if it were not
for the crabgrass.
OF course, weeds are injurious
They rob our flower and vegetable
crops of needed food and moisture
They smother plants through their
sheer vigor, and they serve as hosts
and food plants for diseases and in
sect pests. BY binding the soil with
their roots they increase the labor
necessary for cultivation. And, of
course, they destroy the neat and
well-groomed appearance of the yard
and garden that we all crave.
Weeds may or may not be useful
plants, but regardless of their in
dividual value they are out of place.
That is why they are called weeds.
Any plant that interferes with the
growth of desired plant is a weed.
Thus, we should never let a plant
run wild until 1t becomes a weed in
the garden.
May Be Grouped
In Three Glasses.
Weeds may be grouped into three
classes-annuals, biennials and per-
ennials. The ANIMALS are most easi-
ly controlled by preventing the for
nation of seed. Any plant that
depends upon seed for its propaga-
ton as the ANIMALS and biennials
do need only to be kept from going
to seed. But this may be job as
in the case of chickWeed and crab
grass. Most ANIMALS are prolific seed
producers and because of this are
usually difficult to eradicate.
The biennials are those plants
whose seed terminates one year,
the seedlings live over winter and
produce flowers and seeds the next
season. We oftentimes overlook their
small plants and let them live over
winter. The next spring they usu-
ally spring into flowers and form
seeds before we get busy with the
hoe. The wild carrot is the most
common example of this group.
The perennials are probably the
largest group of the common weeds.
It includes the dandelion, sheep sor-
rel, plantain, Bermuda grass, dock
weed and the wild daiSV
AS group they are harder to
combat than the ANIMALS because
many of them spread by under
ground root stems as we'll as by seed.
Their roots oftentimes are diff
cult to kill. This is we'll illustrated
by the common dandelion whose
tap root defies our efforts to cut it
off at point low enough down to
prevent further growth. The dan
delion, a prolific producer of seed,
is hardly in the same class with
the sheep sorrel whose underground
roots range far and wide, sending
up new plants every few inches. It
is one of the most difficult weeds to
eradicate from the flower bed, for
not only do many new shoots ap-
pear, but seed are produced in great
number.
Hoeing Helps
Eradication.
Annual, biennial and perennial
weeds may be effectually controlled
by careful and thorough hoeing.
The destruction of every bit of vege-
tation above ground soon starves
the roots to death. However, this
method depends entirely upon thor
ough going. frequent cultivation. If
single plant is allowed to remain it
provides food and life for the roots
below
Hoeing is and should be the main
method of attack on weeds by most
gardeners. However, it is seldom
carried out with the frequency and
thoroughness needed for 100 per cent
control. This point may be ques-
toned by some on the theory that
the new plants that appear are
from seed blown in, or that are slow
In termination. Perhaps this is the
case since few gardens are beyond
the range of Windblown seed and
practically every soil contains guam
titles of ungerminated seed
Another method of weed control
is mulching. Mulches consist of a
layer of some material that pre-
vents the weeds from receiving sun
light and food. A layer of tough
opaque paper may be used in place
of the commonly used humus as a
mulch. The function is the same.
Most mulches are seldom put on
In thick enough layers to smother
out the weeds, although if we'll done
they will destroy such persistent
perennial weeds as quack grass and
Bermuda grass. 1t may be necessary
to leave them on for year in the
case of such persistent weeds. For
the killing of crabgrass they need
be left only for week or 10 days
just long enough to kill the crab
grass, but not to seriously injure the
bluegrass.
Before applying mulch to the
garden for the control of weeds it
is important that the soil be thor
oughly cultivated and that all weeds
be cut down for if they extend
through it they will benefit from
the mulch the same as the vegetable
and flower plants. Well-rotted COM
post, grass clippings. shredded corn
stalks, straw, and many other kinds
of materials are suitable for mulch
ing. SaWdust is oftentimes sug-
gested, but rotted sawdust from
hardwoods is not always easily OBJ
tained. Sawdust containing resin
(pine) is to be avoided.
Chemical Control
Being Developed.
Chemical control of weeds is the
newest method but as yet is not
fully deVe1Oped IT, apnearS as