54 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Sow Clean Seed. — If we could impress the importance of this phrase 

 on the farmer and rancher we would add thousands of dollars to the 

 agricultural income of the State. 



The sale of impure seed should be a misdemeanor, punishable by law. 

 A bill relating to impure seed was introduced at the last two sessions of 

 the legislature, but from lack of substantial backing it did not pass. 

 Undoubtedly this same bill will be introduced at the next legislative 

 session, and we hope that all county horticultural commissioners will 

 support it. 



Sow Clean Seed. — It is the surest means of preventing the spread 

 of Johnson grass, Canada thistle, morning glory, Eussian thistle, 

 yellow star thistle, and water grass. It is sound sense, sound business, 

 and will bring in sound cash. It will reduce the spread of pests we 

 have, and keep out those we have not. 



METHODS OF ERADICATION. 



After the weeds are on the land it is important to know how to get 

 rid of them. 



Cultivation. — The first and most important means of eradication of 

 any weed is cultivation. The first cultivation should come in the fall. 

 The spring cultivation will then kill many weeds which germinate after 

 the fall plowing. Cultivation at all times and wherever possible not 

 only keeps down the weeds, but conserves the moisture by creating a 

 mulch. Harrow grain after it has become well rooted. This has been 

 tried repeatedly and found to be very practical. Wheat, barley, oats, 

 Sudan grass and rye can easily be handled in this way. The weed seeds 

 being a little sloAver to germinate than the grains, will be in just the 

 right condition to be killed. Use a spike-toothed harrow with as many 

 spikes as possible. Harrow corn before it gets too high and go in later 

 with a hoe and cut out the weeds. The writer has grown corn and 

 tomatoes Avith weeds and without, and has proved that greater yields 

 can be had without the weeds. "Weeds take just as much moisture and 

 nourishment as the commercial crop, and pay nothing. 



For the average farmer summer fallowing is not a paying practice. 

 Of course there may be cases where it is the best thing to do, but in 

 general summer fallowing is expensive and wasteful of land which 

 could be growing a crop and accomplish weed killing at the same time. 



Pasturing should be practised in place of fallowing. Fields should 

 be turned into pasture once every four or five years. Several head of 

 stock on a piece of land will remove all weeds except the grasses, which 

 are the only plants able to withstand close cropping. The writer has 

 seen sheep and goats turned into a pasture reduce plant growth to a 

 mininuun in a very short space of time. Pasturing is also a valuable 

 phase of a good crop rotation, as it gives the land a rest, adds manure, 

 and gives renewed vigor to the land. If the farmer is careful to feed 

 his stock clean grain and clean hay he will not spread weeds through 

 the manure. 



Crop Rotation. — This form of Aveed eradication is most important. 

 Not only is it a means of eliminating pests, but it is one of the very 

 finest means of renewing soils Avhich are not producing Avell. Land 

 Avhich is producing good crops is rarely found infested Avith Aveeds. 



