EXTERMINATING WEEDS. 205 



SOILING EXTERMINATES WEEDS. 



"We wish to emphasize this point, as it is of great practi- 

 cal importance. In many parts of the country noxious 

 weeds almost render the land valueless for cultivated crops, as 

 the weeds occupy so much of the soil that there is only room 

 left to raise a crop adequate to pay the lahor. In a proper 

 system of soiling, the land is not suffered to mature weeds. 

 The annuals are generally killed by the first cutting, and if 

 not, always by the second. The perennials are cut before 

 the seed forms, thus preventing any seed ripening to grow 

 new plants; and as all the successive crops are cut green, 

 no seed can mature. The soil may have several crops of 

 weed seeds in it ; but whenever they come to the surface 

 and grow, the first cutting kills them. Canada thistles, 

 being cut before seeding, are soon killed ; and if seed 

 exists in the soil, the new crop that grows after plowing 

 will also be killed before seeding; and a few years will 

 exterminate them. As all the various weeds will be eaten 

 when cut in the green, succulent state, it may be said that 

 the weeds will pay for their own extermination. 



Fields that are infested with the worst weeds may be 

 selected to cultivate a few years in soiling crops, and thus 

 rendered clean. Under the strict soiling system no plant 

 could grow, the seed of which was not sown, after the land 

 once became clean. The white daisy and plantain are even 

 worse, if possible, than Canada thistles, but frequent plow- 

 ings and cutting before seeding will end these also. Soil- 

 ing may be considered the only feasible system of ridding 

 our fields of weeds, and this alone would, in some localities, 

 render it profitable. 



How TO INTRODUCE SOILING. 



A good system is not appropriate for all farms. A farm 

 turned up at an angle of 45 degrees, covered with rocks, or 

 a newly-cleared one, covered with stumps, is not adapted to 



