162 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
years—lI was told by him, ‘‘Spillman, you have a big job on your 
hands,” and I supposed I was undertaking an impossible task. Now 
please examine these photographs. [Exhibiting photographs.] The 
one I hold in this hand represents a portion of a farm abandoned to 
Johnson grass. It had the Johnson grass on ita year ago last sum- 
mer. At Columbus, Tex., there are thousands of acres of that rich 
land in that neighborhood practically abandoned to the Johnson grass, 
and we picked out this piece of land in the middle of a 1,400-acre farm 
which they had simply quit plowing because the Johnson grass had 
become so thick they could not plow it with the ordinary implements. 
Now here, gentlemen [exhibiting a companion photograph], is the cot- 
ton crop grown within 130 feet of this Johnson grass. One crop was 
grown under the owner’s own methods and one under our methods. 
In the latter case the owner carried out our suggestions with extreme 
fidelity. 
Me Levan, How much does it cost to get rid of that Johnson grass? 
Mr. Srittman. One extra plowing and three extra harrowings. I 
am now preparing a bulletin setting forth the results. I published 
the main facts in one of the Southern newspapers when 1 was down 
there, and in one of the Northern agricultural publications, namely 
the American Agriculturist. They requested it. And then it was 
published in the Houston Post, near where these experiments were 
conducted. There is no question but that we have Johnson grass on 
the run. We can get rid of it and grow any crop you want to grow 
without undue expense, and where Johnson grass has been grown for 
years. 
Mr. Burieson. The complete success in eradicating the Johnson 
grass would depend upon the time of year they went to work on it? 
Mr. Spriiman. Yes, sir; toa large extent. You have to plow the 
land when it is in good condition for plowing. 
Mr. Burizson. And also when it is dry? 
Mr. Sprtyman. No; it does not have to be dry, but simply in good 
condition for plowing. If it is too dry it becomes cloddy, and then we 
have to treat it to break up the clods. We plow the land in the fall of 
the year, ata time when it is ina good condition to plow. We harrow it 
down smooth, and then put in an instrument called a root digger, and 
it goes along and brings out the clods, and you have a good ton of hog 
feed to the acre from the Johnson grass. The next spring you harrow 
it out again, and you will harrow out a great many more roots. 
Mr. Bowrs. What does the harrow cost? 
Mr. Sprryman. Eight dollars, laid down in Texas; but it is not entirely 
satisfactory. You, gentlemen, all know that if you are building a new 
agricultural machine on a new principle it takes time and money to 
erfect it; and I feel that we are justified in asking an appropriation 
for a root digger for that purpose. It is a narrow thing, so wide 
[indicating], and you have to lift it out of the ground every fifteen 
steps. Iam now working on a machine that will pull the roots out of 
the ground and cut them. It has buzz saw teeth. 
_Mr. Grarr. When you arrive at the proper model for a machine 
like that, what do you do to protect your rights? Do you patent itin 
the name of the Government? 
Mr. Srrttman. Of course the Government can own a patent just 
the same as a private individual. A man could not use it without the 
permission of the Government, and our policy would be to give that 
