NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 203 
Fox-tail. It is not generally recognized, but it is probably true that 
more money is spent in the extermination of fox-tails than any other 
class of weeds we have in the State of Iowa, yet they are all easily des- 
troyed. One of the best and most effective methods of destroying the 
Fox-tail is by plowing the small grain field as soon as the grain is re- 
moved. If this is not done a large amount of seed is produced. After 
this plowing in the fall the field should be disced and harrowed in the 
spring and then planted to corn. The corn should be cultivated as fre- 
quently as possible, at least four or five times. This method should prove 
entirely effective for the destruction of Fox-tail and pigeon grass. 
Squirrel-tail. Squirrel-tail or Wild Barley is a most pernicious weed 
along road sides and in pastures and meadows; pernicious because it not 
only prevents the growth of the better grasses but it is injurious to live 
stock. As this weed is most common in the pasture, the best way to 
treat it is to mow the pasture before the grass has matured its seed. 
Since this weed is an annual, or winter annual, this should effectively 
dispose of the plant were it not for the fact that the seed is blown in 
from neighboring fields and roadsides. Cultivation will readily destroy 
the weed and where it is abundant in fields shallow cultivation followed 
by the disc and harrow should be effective. 
Mustard. The first and most important consideration in connection 
with the extermination of mustard is that the oats or wheat should be 
freed from mustard seed. Then this grain should be sown on clean 
fields, preferably fields that have been in pasture or meadow, or if sown 
in a corn field there should have been no mustard the previous season. 
Nothing has done so much to remove the weeds from the fields of north- 
eastern Iowa as the pasture and meadow. Having sown the small grain 
on a clean field there is always a chance that some of the seeds will retain 
their vitality in the soil. If much of this mustard should come up then 
it may become necessary to spray the mustard with iron sulphate and 
when the mustard is abundant this is a very effective means of destroying 
the weeds, this material used at the rate of one hundred pounds of the 
iron sulphate to a barrel of water. 
Indian Malloiv or Butter Print. Much complaint has come to us about 
Indian Mallow or Butter Print. This weed, which is very common in 
many parts of the state, is, of course, readily destroyed by cultivation. 
The only trouble is that so much of the seed retains its vitality for a 
considerable length of time, how long has not been definitely determined. 
The best treatment for this plant is to get the field into a meadow or 
pasture, leaving it in this condition for a number of years and then 
planting corn and following the usual rotation. 
Mr. S. Braga, Meservey, Iowa, recommends the smothering of Quack 
Grass with millet, and shallow plowing, and Mr. Burlingame, of Froelich, 
Iowa, also advocates the smothering of Quack Grass by covering it with 
two feet of straw and then sow to buckwheat two years in succession. 
Mr. Flett, of Wright county, also recommends covering and smothering 
with straw. Mr. F. McGrunder, of Clarkson, thinks the best way to 
remove Quack Grass is by using the dung fork and getting out all of the 
roots. Mr. Dows, of Benton county, finds that salt is successful or mulch 
heavily with straw. Mr. Overholser, of Sibley, Iowa, states that a bad 
