Weeds and How to Manage Them. — 159 



have often used (or given to my weeders) common iron spoons, 

 broken case knives properly ground to an edge on both sides and 

 bent in the shape of a curve, etc. In fact, any small sharp-edged 

 tool can be utilized as a hand-weeder, and in very mellow soil the 

 fingers alone will do very well. The process of hand-weeding, of 

 course, has to be repeated as often as weeds re-appear, and if the 

 first weeding was thoroughly done, the subsequent ones do not 

 require so very much time and pains-taking labor. But every 

 weed must be removed ; they are no blessing in any sense, and 

 only deprive the crop of moisture (which feature is their worst) 

 and of food. 



Many of the annual weeds become very persistent in their 

 efforts toward seed ripening in latter part of summer and early 

 fall. They should not be allowed much rest ; for if you give 

 them an inch they will be sure to take an ell. 



