Weeds in Indiana 105 
THE TOLL OF WEEDS IN INDIANA.! 
ALBERT A. HANSEN. 
The early settlers in Indiana encountered little difficulty with the 
weed problem, since few of our native plants are serious weeds. As 
the land became more settled troublesome weeds began to appear, most 
of them being European plants that were introduced in impure seed. 
Since the earliest days of Indiana agriculture, the weed problem has 
increased in seriousness until at the present time the loss due to the 
presence of weeds is enormous. Before the weed problem can be solved 
in Indiana, the farmers themselves must understand and appreciate the 
seriousness of the situation. An understanding and appreciation of 
this character can perhaps be secured by a knowledge of the various 
ways in which weeds cause loss and the amount of damage done. 
The extent of the damage caused by weeds is not ordinarily realized. 
The presence of weeds has been accepted as inevitable and the tendency 
has been to ignore them. It is hoped that the estimates here presented 
will not only call attention to the different ways by which weeds cause 
damage, but that they will also be of value in creating a realization of 
the importance of the problem. It is a subject that is of importance 
to all citizens of the state since the welfare of Indiana is largely de- 
pendent on agricultural prosperity and the control of weeds is an im- 
portant factor in profitable agriculture. 
The figures herein considered are based on production during the 
year 1920, even though 1920 can hardly be considered a normal agri- 
cultural year. The values of the various farm crops were obtained from 
the “Year Book of the State of Indiana, 1920.” 
The final estimate does not include such considerations as the dam- 
age to health caused by hay-fever weeds, etc., the losses caused by weeds 
harboring harmful insects and plant diseases, the esthetic loss, and the 
reduction in the value of property due to the presence of weeds. On 
the other hand, the valuable features of weeds such as the value of 
the organic matter they supply and the prevention of soil washing, are 
not considered since even approximate estimates of this character are 
practically impossible to obtain. In preparing the estimates, assistance 
was obtained from a number of specialists who have devoted many years 
to the study of Indiana agriculture. 
Tillage Loss Due to Weeds—The figures relative to the tillage loss 
occasioned in cultivated crops are based on work performed in the office 
of Farm Management, U. S. D. A., demonstrating that cultivation 
costs about one-sixth of the total value of a farm crop. It is estimated 
conservatively that one-half of the cost of cultivation is due to the 
presence of weeds. 
1 Contribution from the Botanical Department (Extension Division) of the Purdue 
University Agricultural Experiment Station. 
