Rural School Leaflet. 



991 



early in the morning while the dew is on, it will stick to the plants. 

 This will kill them and will not injure grass or other useful plants which 

 may be growing with them. If too much salt is used it will kill the 

 grass. The best way to kill this weed is to plow up the field and plant 

 corn. The plowing and cultivation of com will destroy the hawkweed. 

 Oats may be sown the next year and if the field is needed for a pasture, 

 grass and clover seeds sown with the oats. If lime is added to the 

 land it will help to get rid of the weed. 



Wild mustard belongs to that class of plants which live only one 

 year. The seeds, however, will lie in the ground a long time and grow 

 when not expected. It has rather shallow roots and may be pulled 

 easil}' if only a few plants are present. If growing in corn, the cultivation 

 will kill most of the mustard plants. 



This pest is often sown with the seeds of such grain as oats. It is more 

 common in this crop than in any other. It is especially troiiblesome 

 on rich clay land. Sometimes the oat field is yellow with it. 



It has been found that this weed may be killed by spraying with 

 copper sulfate. Eight or ten pounds of this is dissolved in fifty gallons 

 of water; or 100 pounds of iron sulfate may be used in the same amount 

 of water. This is enough for one acre. If sprayed when the plant has 

 only six or eight leaves and is about two inches tall, the weed will be 

 destroyed without seriously injuring oats, 

 barley, com, or wheat. This spray must not 

 be used in the garden, however, as several 

 plants, as beets and radishes, are as easily 

 killed as the wild mustard. 



Long-leaved plantain is very common in 

 lawns and old meadows. It is one of our 

 worst weeds. It lives from year to year. The 

 roots are rather shallow and the plant may be 

 easily removed by digging it with a narrow 

 spade. This should be done in the spring be- 

 fore it produces seeds. 



The seeds of plantain are often present in 

 clover and grass seeds. It is one of the most 

 common weed seeds found in the seeds of 

 these crops. 



Note. — From the above lessons teachers will 

 realize how valuable to tlie farmer is the ability 

 to recognize pure seed. 



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Fig. 39. — Wild mustard 



