178 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



our own, and thus the dandelions and plantains find 

 a chance to live. So the best treatment for a 

 weedy lawn is more grass. Loosen up the poor 

 places with an iron garden rake, scatter a little 

 fertilizer, and then sow heavily of grass seed. Do 

 not plow up the lawn, for then you undo all that 

 has been accomplished ; you kill all the grass and 

 leave all the ground open for a free fight with 

 every ambitious weed in the neighborhood. If the 

 farmer occupies only half the surface of his field 

 with oats, the other half is bound to be occupied 

 with mustard or wild carrot or pigweed ; but if his 

 land is all taken with oats, few other plants can 

 thrive. So, a weedy farm is a poorly farmed farm. 

 But if it does get foul and weedy, then what ? 

 Then use a short, quick, sharp rotation. Keep the 

 ground moving or keep it covered. No Russian 

 thistle or live -for -ever or jimson-weed can ever keep 

 pace with a lively and resourceful farmer. 



THE LESSON OF NURSERY LANDS. 



The injurious effects of leaving soils bare, and 

 of tilling at untimely seasons, are well illustrated 

 in most nursery plantations. The best nursery 

 lands are the "strong" lands, or those which con- 

 tain a basis of clay, and these are the ones which 

 soonest suffer under unwise treatment. The nur- 

 sery land is kept under clean culture, and it is, 

 therefore, deeply pulverized. There is practically no 

 herbage on the soil to protect it during the winter. 



