218 



SUCCESSFUL FARMING 



Weed Habitats. Bindweed, Canada thistle and horse nettle are 

 entirely at home in any field, whether it be corn field, meadow or feed lot. 

 However, it is a well-established fact that certain weeds seem to follow 

 certain crop-;. For instance, corn fields are mostly infested by such weeds 

 as foxtail, cockle-bur and butter-print. These can be overcome by per- 

 sistent cultivation. Milkweeds and the large family of mustards, of which 

 shepherds' purse and wild radish are members, seem to follow the small 

 grains. The mustard family is easily overcome by cutting before it goes 

 to seed. The milkweed, however, is more difficult to eradicate, as it spreads 

 by means of underground roots. Meadows and pastures have a different 



THE MANNER IN WHICH CANADA THISTLES SPREAD BY UNDERGROUND 



ROOTSTOCKS. 1 



When the rootstocks are brought to the surface by plowing at the right depth 

 they may be raked up and destroyed. 



type of weed from corn and small grains. Three of the worst meadow 

 weeds are dock, ragweed and buckhorn. They spread by seed only and 

 can be kept down by mowing before they go to seed. The ground must 

 also be kept well seeded to grass or clover, for if bare spots appear, the 

 weeds are quick to appropriate them. Sorrel is a pasture weed which is 

 hard to eradicate, as it spreads by means of underground roots. It cannot 

 compete with red clover, however, for a place in the meadows. For this 

 reason it is usually found in meadows where the acidity of the soil does not 

 encourage red clover. Plowing and sowing to cultivated crops is the best 

 method of eradication. If the land will not admit of cultivated crops, 

 common salt put on the plants will kill them and keep them from 

 spreading. 



Principles Governing Control. The foregoing discussion suggests 



1 Courtesy of U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



