FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART X. 679 



the southern part of the state. Only good seed should be used; seventh, 

 prepare the ground now, and secure the seed early; eighth, don't start 

 on a big scale — an acre or two will be sufficient. Sow a little. Start now. 



WEEDS. 



PROF. L. H. PAMIIEL, IOWA STATE COLLEGE. 



(Read before the Delaware County Farmers Institute, Manchester, Iowa.) 



The subject of weeds is one of vital importance to the farmers of 

 Iowa. Weeds do an enormous damage to the crops of Iowa. A con- 

 servative estimate places the injury at $25,000,000 annually. This loss 

 could be largely avoided if we had more concise information on the 

 subject, and if we could conserve the matchless resources of our soil 

 by keeping the weeds down, the farmers would be greatly benefited in a 

 financial way. Now let us add to the injury from weeds the damage from 

 fungus diseases. A single disease, oats smut, causes a loss of $6,000,000 

 annually alone in this state. Some one has estimated that the loss from 

 fungus diseases in the United States, is not far from $250,000,000. Now 

 add the loss from the depredations of insects at $750,000,000 annually 

 and w^e have a tremendous loss to the farmers and horticulturists of the 

 United States. In many cases as in oats smut this loss can be avoided 

 if the farmer would only treat his oats seed with formalin. In this con- 

 nection, permit me to calj attention to a bulletin on treatment of fungus 

 diseases, published by the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station. This 

 and other bulletins may be obtained by writing Prof. C. F. Curtiss, Ames. 



A weed may be defined as a plant out of place or a plant that is 

 injurious to agriculture, horticulture, growing where it is a detriment to 

 the crop. Weeds are injurious because, 1. They crowd out the growing 

 crop. 2. They consume the moisture necessary for a crop. 3. They 

 consume the mineral or other food elements essential to a crop. 4. They 

 pull down the crop. 5. They are injurious because the seeds are diffi- 

 cult to remove. 6. They are injurious because they harbor insects. 7. 

 They are injurious because they harbor parasitic fungi. 8. They pre- 

 vent the proper cultivation of the soil. 9. They may cause conditions 

 which breed disease. 10. They may poison the soil. 11. They stop 

 drains. 12. They poison animal and man. 



The matter of good seed is of great importance to the farmers of 

 Iowa. Let me call your attention to some of the bad weeds which have 

 been introduced with clover and alfalfa seed. One farmer a few years 

 ago sent me thirty-five different weeds he thought were introduced with 

 clover. Some were common in his vicinity. Some, however, like the 

 wild carrot, buckhorn, chicory, poison hemlock, dodder and Canada 

 thistle were introduced with clover seed. We have a fairly good seed law 

 in Iowa and I am glad to say that the seed merchants are trying to com- 

 ply with the law. I would advise, however, that the farmers send an 

 ounce or more of the seed to me for analysis. This will enable you to 

 buy only good seed and the farmers are now demanding the best seed. 

 It is far better to use the best seed than to buy cheap seed that con- 



