Arable Land 



they become sickly and disheartened and may die out 

 altogether. But if only one plant manages to flower 

 and shed its seeds, the whole work may have to be done 

 all over again. ^' One year's seeding makes at least 

 seven years' weeding." 



One very strange way of destroying weeds is said to 

 be in use on an American railway (Illinois Central). A 

 brush heavily charged with electricity is attached to a 

 railway truck, and drawn along the track at about 

 8 inches from the ground.** Every plant touched by 

 it turns black as if frozen, and dies. It used to cost 

 ten dollars per mile to destroy these weeds, but now 

 about five miles can be done in an hour, and at very 

 little expense. 



Another method which is often employed in this 

 country is to spray the weeds with a solution of copper 

 sulphate. In dry weather during May and June, young 

 charlock plants may be nearly killed out by spraying. 

 But nowadays great care is taken to insure that no 

 weeds are sown along with the corn or other crops. 

 Many samples of seed corn were found to be full of the 

 most dangerous pests of the farm. A pound of '' clover 

 seed" was examined at the New Jersey Experimental 

 Station which contained 14,400 seeds of no less than 

 forty-four distinct and separate weeds. 



But even in the best and most carefully tended agri- 

 cultural land, the dormant possibilities of evil are quite 

 incalculable. Dr. Buchenau counted the number of 

 weeds which appeared between May and December of 

 1903, in a small garden which was only five square 

 yards in extent, and yet 2683 germinating weeds were 

 discovered upon it during those months.^ 



The farmer has many other difficult tasks beyond 

 those which we have mentioned. It is no easy matter 

 to keep down the weeds, to keep up fences, drains, and 



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