Weeds and Their Suppression. 



46; 



after the proper cleaning out of ditches and watercourses, so 

 that the free draining off of water is not impeded. 



7. Very considerable changes in the character of the herbage 

 on pastures, and of the weeds on arable land can be induced by 

 the application of certain manures, artificial fertilisers, salt, lime, 

 and other materials. 



Nitrogenous manures stimulate the growth of grasses which 

 tend to choke out buttercups, cowslips, and many other weeds 

 or less useful plants. The sour condition of the surface soil 

 can be partially remedied by a good dressing of lime or chalk, 

 and lime is more or less a specific against sorrel, corn marigold, 

 and a few other weeds. The herbage of most pastures on stiff 

 clay land is very greatly improved by 5 to 8 cwt. of basic 

 slag per acre. 



In fact, the application of any kind of manure makes some 

 change in the herbage ; certain plants being encouraged and 

 others checked by it. Careful observations and records of 

 these changes are much needed. 



8. Close feeding with sheep will often keep in check certain 

 plants, such as yarrow and ragwort, and prevent them from 

 seeding and spreading over wider areas. 



9. Lastly, certain chemical substances, especially the sul- 

 phates of copper and iron, have been found useful in destroying 

 weeds. A 3 per cent, solution of copper sulphate, at the rate 

 of 50 gallons per acre, sprayed on charlock when it is young 

 kills or very materially damages the weed without affecting 

 the cereal crops, wheat, barley, or oats. It is, of course, useless 

 for destroying charlock among turnips, for it damages the 

 latter as easily as the charlock. 



The destruction or suppression of weeds, from the above " 

 brief account, is seen to be a complicated and many-sided, 

 question, which needs much thought and well-directed effort 

 if success is to be ensured. To a certain extent individual 

 species of weeds sometimes require particular treatment, yet 

 it is certain that the general practices described will have very 

 beneficial effects if faithfully • carried out with energy and an 

 unsparing hand. 



John Perciyal. 



p p 2 



