472 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



snre that the identity of the impurity is given as well as the per cent, 

 and the per cent of germination. 



At present there is no legal or other means of restricting the sale of 

 impure agricultural seed. The seed testing laboratory at the university 

 does a great deal of good, but its sphere is limited to those who send in 

 samples for test. It has no power otherwise to prevent the spread of 

 impure seed throughout the State. What we need in California is a 

 good, comprehensive seed law to include all agricultural seeds. 



CONCLUSION. 



I have pointed out in a brief way how weeds spread, and have given 

 some of the natural agents of weed control. The artificial agents are 

 far more important than the natural, because they are subject to control, 

 and the secret of control is farm management. A good stand of grass 

 leaves no room for weeds. If the conditions for the best crop production 

 are maintained, the weeds will disappear. All plants, including weeds, 

 settle and thrive where the struggle for existence is such that they can 

 enter into it and prosper. Keep the land busy with good crops. There 

 is no surer sign of lack of good management than a weed infested farm. 

 And if the farmer asks, as he often does, "How can I get rid of the 

 weeds?" answer him without hesitation: "Use better methods — change 

 your system — give the crops a better opportunity and the weeds less; 

 practice rotation, fall plowing, or a dozen other methods." What is 

 needed is not a formula, but a little headwork. Someone has said, 

 the one good thing the weeds can accomplish is to prove by their presence 

 that there is a weak point in the established system of agriculture. 



