248 



ARID AGRICULTURE. 



KILLING 



WEEDS 



WITH 



SPRAYS 



majority of weeds are killed by the cultivator, 

 the disc, the drag harrow, and the hoe ; but some 

 of our worst weeds may be more profitably got- 

 ten rid of by special methods. Alfalfa is the 

 greatest and most effectual weed eradicator of 

 the West. 



Spraying weeds with solutions of sulphate of 

 iron (copperas) or common salt, is a compara- 

 tively new way of destroying them. The sul- 

 phate of iron treatment is being strongly ad- 

 vocated by companies who get this material as a 

 by-product in their manufacturing, and are seek- 

 ing a market for it. There is merit in this 

 method of killing certain weeds if properly done, 

 and the conditions are such as warrant the ex- 

 pense. The secret of success seems to be the use 

 of power sprays or hand spray pumps which 

 throw a very fine spray with considerable force. 

 Some weeds may be killed with other chemicals. 

 A Montana man has invented a dandelion ex- 

 terminator, which consists of a tube with which 

 gasoline is placed in small amount at the roots 

 of these pests. Where weeds occupy ground 

 that is not desired for raising crops, like railroad 

 rights of way, sprinkling with crude petroleum 

 is used both to kill the weeds and lay the dust. 



How to mix and use sprays is given under 

 the weeds for which they are useful. The fol- 

 lowing dozen worst weeds of the West, with their 

 treatment, will <j;ive general information which 



