WEEDS AND GRASSES. 



Much ado is made over the fact that in some 

 regions weeds and grasses trouble alfalfa. It has 

 been proposed to plant it in rows and cultivate it in 

 order to subdue these intruders; indeed, this very 

 thing is practiced in some regions. In alfalfa grow- 

 ing sections little thought is given to the question of 

 weeds or grasses in the fields. The alfalfa seems 

 able to subdue almost every intruder. There are a 

 few exceptions; some weeds persevere in even good 

 alfalfa soils. It is true, however, that when the soil 

 is made right and a good stand of alfalfa secured 

 one need give weeds little thought. It is ten times 

 better to spend effort making soil conditions right 

 than to spend it in fighting weeds. 



Some Troublesome Weeds. — Some of the weeds 

 that trouble in certain sections and not in others are 

 crab grass (an annual grass), wild cress, chickweed, 

 (an annual that makes most of its growth in winter), 

 lamb's quarter, pigweed and ragweed. Crab grass 

 and sheep sorrel seem never to trouble alfalfa seri- 

 ously when the land is full of carbonate of lime. Not 

 that the lime kills the crab grass, but when there is 

 lime enough in the land with fertility, the alfalfa is 

 so vigorous as to distance and smother the crab 

 grass. Cress comes only in winter and usually 

 makes no trouble except in fall-sown alfalfa when it 

 may injure the first cutting if intended for market. 



(258) 



