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) 
