72 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Angora goats is beneficial, and the early mowing of grass lands 

 contaminated with weeds is also effective in certain cases, as it 

 destroys them before they go to seed. In other cases hand pull- 

 ing or spudding must be resorted to. 



Heavy mulches applied to cultivated soil are a most excellent 

 means of exterminating weeds. This method can be used on 

 beds of shrubbery and to some extent on garden crops, in 

 orchards and in the case of young shade trees, although mulched 

 plants, in our estimation, wall not make the growth of those 

 freely cultivated. Cultivation also conserves the soil moisture 

 and is valuable in more ways than one. Mulching with tarred 

 paper has also been recommended for the extermination of 

 poison ivy and other plants. This method of exterminating 

 plants is based on the principle of excluding the light, thereby 

 preventing the formation of plastic materials and the storage of 

 reserve substances, although the tar has toxic properties in 

 itself. 



The practice of comi:)osting manures and allowing them to 

 heat is said to be quite beneficial in destroying weed seeds and 

 the spores of certain jDathogenic fungi which may be in the 

 manure. 



For holding weeds on lawns in check a very imj)ortant fea- 

 ture is first to have a deep loamy soil to support a good growth 

 of grass. Seeding heavily is excellent for crowding out weeds, 

 and the application of fertilizers in midsununer and reseeding 

 is also good. Many lawns are troubled with certain weeds be- 

 cause they become too dry, and ajiplications of water are bene- 

 ficial, although the w^ater would be much more efi^ectual if it 

 could be applied below the surface. Finally, some weeds in 

 lawns may be destroyed by allowing the grass to remain uncut 

 for a short time, the high grass crowding out the weeds. 



Undoubtedly one of the greatest sources of weeds in mowings 

 and cultivated fields is the use of unclean seed, and too much 

 emphasis cannot be laid on the necessity for using seed free 

 from noxious weed seeds. It is difficult to separate some weed 

 seeds from grass seed, and little or no attempt has been made 

 to separate the noxious weed seeds from much of the seed put 

 on the market. 



