THE BUCKWHEAT FAMILY 49 



Remedy: Sow clean seed grain. The seeds retain their 

 vitality for a relatively short period, probably not longer than 

 three years, except in the dryer soils of the western plains. The 

 suppression of this pest is therefore largely dependent on the 

 prevention of a continued supply of fresh seeds to the soil. This 

 weed gives little trouble on land under a short rotation of crops, 

 including hay for two years. 



The seeds of Wild Buckwheat do not germinate in the spring 

 until the soil is quite warm. Most of the early plants can be 

 destroyed in grain crops by an application of the harrow when the 

 grain is about three inches high. The young plants soon root 

 firmly and the harrowing, to be effective, must be done just as 

 they emerge from the ground. Cultivation after harvest, as 

 described for Wild Oats, will stimulate germination of the seeds 

 that have dropped. A large proportion of Wild Buckwheat 

 seeds can be induced to grow during the autumn and the seed- 

 ling plants will be destroyed by frost. Plowing of summer-fallow 

 should be done before any of the seeds have developed enough 

 to ripen after being turned down and care should be taken to 

 completely cover all the plants. 



If given access to fields of corn or potatoes after cultiva- 

 tion has been discontinued, sheep will feed on the seedling plants 

 and will do little injury to the crop. 



The seeds of this weed have a feeding value only slightly 

 inferior to cultivated buckwheat; but before being used for feed, 

 screenings containing Wild Buckwheat or other weed seeds should 

 be finely ground to destroy their vitality. Unless first carefully 

 screened, oats that are simply "crushed" for feeding may con- 

 tain large numbers of whole seeds of this pest, many of which 

 are returned to the fields in a vital state. 



I will go root away 

 The noisome weeds, that without profit suck 

 The soil's fertility from wholesome flowers. 



Shakespeare, Richard II, Act III, Sc. iv, 1593. 



