276 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Ploughing in this manner becomes effective. Certain root- 

 stalks possess a remarkable power for propagating them- 

 selves, and when cut up even in small pieces they are capa])le 

 of growing into a new plant. Any cultivation, therefore, 

 which only breaks the root-stalks and leaves them in the 

 ground during warm, moist weather is not practical, as this 

 method would only multiply them. 



One of the best methods for destroying the very trouble- 

 some couch-grass is to plough it up late in the fall and sow 

 the piece down thickly with some such crop as rye. 



In fact, this is one of the best methods to which farmers 

 can resort for weeds in general proper to cultivated lands. 

 Instead of allowing the land to remain idle, or surrendering 

 it to weeds, as is most frequently the case among farmers 

 after the crop has been taken off, it should be thickly seeded 

 down to some crop such as rye or mustard ; or much better, 

 if the climate would allow it, to crimson clover, alfalfa or 

 melilotus. 



This practice of green manuring improves the soil. It 

 not only adds organic matter to it l)ut it conserves the ele- 

 ments which the soil contains. In case a leguminous crop 

 is grown, such as clover, alfalfa or melilotus, considerable 

 nitrogen would be added to the soil when ploughed under. 

 Crimson clover and alfalfa have not proven hardy with us, 

 but melilotus appears to be, and Professor Brooks has hopes 

 that this plant can be of some service to the farmer in this 

 climate. 



With good thick growths of rye or some such plant in the 

 soil soon after the main crops have been removed, the large 

 amounts of shepherd's-purse, purslane and five-finger grass 

 — which naturally thrive at this season and produce enor- 

 mous quantities of seeds for the year to come — could be 

 kept down. The worst weeds found upon our lawns are 

 plantain, common dandelion, chick weed, money- wort, three- 

 fingered crab-grass and fall dandelion. The only remedy for 

 the plantain, common and fall dandelion is spudding. The 

 plantain is less likely to occur on a well-kept lawn. The 

 money-wort and chickweed thrive the best in the shade, 

 although both are more or less troublesome in sunny lawns. 

 Nitrate of soda or common salt are used by some to kill 



