The Question Box. 413 



horse. They are a fad; besides, they cost too much and can 

 be afforded only by the wealthy. No, the horseless carriage and 

 the wheel are not in it with the horse^ on the street or road, nor 

 ever will be. 



Is black muck good material for humus? 



Mr. Van Alstyne. — There is some humus in muck, which will 

 hold moisture. It is most beneficial on sandy soils. There is not 

 much plant food, however, in muck. 



Please give a sure but cheap remedy to get rid of orange hawk weed. 

 People do not realize the danger from this beautiful weed. 



Mr. Van Alstyne. — That weed is known in some localities as 

 " Devil's Paint Brush," and, when allowed to grow undisturbed, 

 will drive out nearly all other plants as well as the grasses. Where 

 ground can be plowed and cropped, it may be eradicated by culti- 

 vation. A succession of crops will do it. But, where it has a 

 foothold in pasture or land that cannot be plowed, I do not know 

 of any remedy unless one resorts to the work of pulling it out. 

 Mowing it does not seem to be effectual. 



[See last year's annual report for article on orange hawk weed. 

 — Director.] 



How shall we get rid of wild mustard? 



Mr. Cook. — There is no patent right way to get rid of any of 

 these noxious weeds, cultivation is the best way I know of. The de- 

 partment of agriculture at Washington sent out a bulletin giving 

 directions how to get rid of these weeds, but, if anyone knows how 

 fully to do it, I should be glad to know of it. Except it is done by 

 a rotation of crops and good cultivation, mustard seed will grow 

 after years of imprisonment in the soil even on an old pasture, 

 when it is plowed. The great trouble has come from sowing grain 

 impregnated with the seed. We ought to free all our grain from 

 these foul seeds. If we will only be careful in that direction, we 

 may easily prevent much of this trouble. But, with wild mus- 

 tard I do not think that a rotation of crops will help much. 



