Weeds. 



If we do not keep the garden clear of weeds 

 they will rob the vegetables of plant food and 

 moisture, as they are stronger and the vege- 

 table will dry up and die. We are doing our 

 best to grow vegetables, and the sooner the 

 young weeds are destroyed the better. If al- 

 lowed to grow the roots get longer and harder 

 to pull up. Weeds are very unsightly in the 

 garden and should never be allowed to grow, 

 even in unused places. A garden does not look 

 thrifty, or neat, if one weed is in sight. 



A certain kind of weed will grow thickly in 

 a certain place for one year and the next sea- 

 son almost disappear. The seed seems to run 

 out and the plant food is exhausted for that 

 kind of weed. 



The pig-weed is the most common of our 

 weeds. When you think you have hoed up all 

 the weeds this small summer weed will grow 

 fast and you will have to go over the same 

 ground two or three times before you have 

 killed them all. The ground is full of weed 

 seed. As you plow or turn up new soil you 

 will expose seed that have been waiting gen- 

 erations for a chance to grow. You can never 

 get rid of weeds in the garden, but discourage 

 their growth with the hoe and never allow a 

 weed to mature and scatter its seed. 



You can kill weeds and grass on a path or 

 playground by sprinkling the weeds with a hot 

 brine of salt and water. 



[82] 



