380 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



of all such seeds. Every time we })low we arc likely to 

 brino- a fresh lot of seeds near enoutjh to the surface to ena- 

 ble them to vegetate. Cuhivation must therefore be per- 

 sisted in for a good many years, or it will prove relatively 

 unimportant in its influence on the number of weeds which 

 will start when at length the field is seeded. Conditions are 

 most unfavora1>le for the germination and establishment of 

 Aveeds in mowings if they l)e seeded early in August, after 

 thorough ])reparation of the soil. Moreover, during the in- 

 terval between plowing, which should take place early in 

 July, and seeding, early in August, most of the weed seeds 

 which lie near enough to the surface to germinate will have 

 started, and the repeated harro wings above advised will have 

 resulted in the destruction of the young plants as they start. 

 AVhen, after this treatment and after the thorough enrich- 

 ment advised above, grass and clover seeds are sown, they 

 make a quick and vigorous start, and the weeds gain but little 

 foothold. 



On the grounds of the Experiment Station mowings re- 

 seeded in this way are far clearer from weeds to-day than 

 other mowings which were broken up and cultivated for a 

 couple of years and then reseeded. It would, of course, be 

 possible to give tields which have been cultivated such treat- 

 ment as has been recommended in the case of mowings 

 broken and reseeded without cultivation ; but this would 

 involve a greater loss of time, and would not seem to have 

 any especial advantage. In the case of weeds starting from 

 perennial roots only, such, for exam})le, as witch grass, does 

 a period of cultivation appear to be essential. 



Use Cake in purchasing Grass Seeds. 

 The seeds of several of the most troublesome of the weeds 

 in our mowings are connnonly found in conunercial samples 

 of grass and clover seeds, and a great deal of care should be 

 used in the purchase of such seeds to avoid samples contain- 

 ing the seeds of troublesome weeds in any consideral)lc 

 luunber. Amono; the weed seeds which seem to be most 

 commonly mixed with conunercial samples of grass and clover 

 seeds nrv those of dock and sorrel, the yeUow daisy, butter- 



