88 



Campbell's 1902 Soil Culture Manual. 



moves along loosens up the surface of the soil and easily destroys the 

 young weeds, while if the root V)ed is fine and firm, the wheat has become 

 quite firmly rooted and resists the tooth, which by its lateral flexibleness, 

 slips around. Instances are reported where the harrowing of wheat with 

 the weeder has more than doul)led the crop. This is not at all remarkable, be- 

 cause we not only destroy the weed whose roots rob the roots of the wheat 

 of their moisture and plant food, but we break the crust that may have 

 been formed by the spring rains, loosening the surface, forming a mulch 

 which prevents the evaporation of the moisture. Again in the cornfield 

 and potato field we find its work most valuable. On the Pomeroy Model 

 Farm, during the season of 1901, we took care of the corn almost entirely 



with the weeder until the corn was fully 15 inches high, destroying the 

 weeds completely around the stalks, while as the long flexible teeth 

 approach the hills, the stalk, being firmly rooted, resists the teeth, and 

 with its flexible lateral movement moves around the stalk without injur- 

 ing it in the least, and yet completely destroying all the young weeds, loos- 

 ening the surface, not only around the hills, but among the stalks. In the 

 cultivation of potatoes we find it equally valuable, as it slips in among the 

 potato vines, destroying the weeds in the hills and loosening the surface. 

 It is also quite efficient in the orchard and in our summer culture work at 

 times when only light rains fall, and do not result in packing our mulch 

 very much, but sufficient to moisten it down to the solid soil. While 



One Section of the ( onibination Harrow and AVeeder. 



Cut No. 20. 



