The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
The Great Need of Phosphates 
A S our readers know, we have for years advised 
the use of phosphorus, in some form, on a very 
large proportion of soils in the Eastern part of the 
country. Most of our American soils, which have 
been 50 years or more under cultivation, are cer¬ 
tainly in need of lime, and usually in need of phos¬ 
phorus. This is particularly true of farms which 
have been devoted to grain raising, as very large 
quantities of phosphorus are sent away in the hay 
Wheat heads on left had 200 pound* acid phosphate; 
on right same soil, hut no phosphate. Fig. 332 
and grain crops. It is particularly true of farms 
where livestock is fed and sold on the hoof. Living 
animals carry away in their bones large quantities 
of phosphorus, and usually this means a complete 
loss to the soil. Quantities of nitrogen may be 
gained by growing clover or Alfalfa, but on the 
average farm there is but little gain in phos¬ 
phorus. Some of the feed used by dairymen con¬ 
tains a certain amount of phosphorus, 'but as a rule 
the amount imported in this way does not keep up 
with the outgo in livestock, grain or dairy products. 
We have claimed, therefore, that it will pay any 
dairyman to use a quantity of phosphate along with 
the manure, and this is more particularly true of 
the grain farmer or general farmer. We now have 
Bulletin No. 284 from the Michigan Agricultural 
College at East Lansing. This contains infor¬ 
mation concerning the use of phosphorus, and 
the results corroborate absolutely the claims we 
have long been making regarding the need of this 
element of plant food. The pictures shown herewith 
are taken from the bulletin. The two plants of 
Alfalfa at Fig. 833 show clearly the difference 
brought about by an application of 300 pounds of 
acid phosphate per acre. This was on a sandy soil 
w hich had been limed. The addition of the phos¬ 
phorus and the lime, as we see, practically doubled 
the growth above ground, and also gave a very 
much stronger root. 
There is even a greater difference shown at Fig. 
334 with the wheat plants. Plant No. 1 was grown 
on ordinary soil. Plant No. 2 shows where a crop 
of green manure was plowed into the soil, while the 
plant at No. 3 shows the result of adding acid phos¬ 
phate. We see from this one effect of the phos¬ 
phorus is to make a great increase in the root 
production of plants. This causes them to strike 
deeply into the soil, and also make more roots in the 
surface soil where the plant does most of its feeding. 
This not only gives the plant a better chance to 
feed, but by producing a heavier root system gives 
it a better chance to get through a drought. And 
not only does the phosphorus increase the size of 
the plant and its root, but it also has a definite 
effect upon the seed or berry. At Fig. 332 is a 
picture showing this. The smaller heads at the 
right were grown on soil which received no treat¬ 
ment or fertilizer, while at the left the wheat was 
grown where 200 pounds of acid phosphate were 
used to the acre. These results are practically sure 
to appear on most of our soils when a fair appli¬ 
cation of phosphorus is used. The phosphates do 
not injure the soil, as has been claimed by some 
people, and they do not have the effect of burning 
out the organic matter as is often claimed. These 
things have been clearly shown through many sound 
experiments, and there seems to be no question about 
the fact that wherever stable manure is used freely 
it is always good economy to add a reasonable 
quantity of phosphorus. 
How to Kill Witch Grass 
Mr. Ormsbee recently stated that witch or quack 
grass can be killed by plowing and seeding thickly to 
fodder corn. If this be true it is a blessing, but how 
does he succeed in covering the corn when it is broad¬ 
cast? Most of the harrows we have used leave part of 
the corn on top of the ground. E. M. 
IIE right way to fight any weed is to study its 
habits of growth, ascertain its weak points, 
aud then attack it at those points. Witch grass lias 
, j 
several such points, but they are not easily reached 
by cultivation, aiid I would as soon think of taming 
a bear by scratching its back with a currycomb as 
of conquering this weed by any ordinary cultiva¬ 
tion. A thorough, frequent and persistent cultiva¬ 
tion will control it. but only at an expense for time 
and labor, which the results will seldom warrant. 
If cultivation must be the method employed, the 
soil should be loosened with a fork, and the roots 
carefully removed without breaking, and the best 
way is to get right down on one’s knees and use his 
fingers. It is seemingly a slow and laborious pro¬ 
cess, but it is the quickest in the long run. Other 
approved methods are to cover the blades deeply 
as soon as they appear, or to uncover the roots in 
such a manner as to expose them to the sunlight. 
Severing the roots as in ordinary cultivation ought 
never to be practiced, since this method will only 
check its growth temporarily, and will materially 
aid it in extending its kingdom. 
Witch grass has an immense root system, but it 
is very shallow, seldom penetrating to a depth of 
more than two inches. Deep planting gives it 
a severe check. If buried to a depth of 10 
or 12 inches the roots will send blades of grass to 
the surface, and eventually establish a root system 
at a more favorable depth, but it will require time 
and favorable conditions to do this. As with all 
other plants, the leaves support the roots by fur¬ 
nishing them with food in the form of starch, which 
they manufacture from the carbon they extract from 
the air, and the moisture which the roots furnish. 
Hence, in order to furnish the required amount of 
food, the leaves must have an ample supply of air 
Alfalfa jdant on right lacked lime and acid phos¬ 
phate; plant on left properlg fed. Fig. 333 
from which to extract the carbon. And since the 
transformation of the carbon is accomplished only 
in the light, the foliage must be supplied with an 
abundance of sunshine. If, now, we can check the 
development of the leaves by a deep burial, prevent 
the foliage from gaining access to air and light, by 
the interposition of a more vigorously growing plant, 
and prevent the development of a new root system 
by filling the space with the roots of some other 
plant, we shall surely eradicate the witch grass. 
This sounds well in theory, and it works equally 
well in practice, the requisites being a deep and 
thorough plowing and the securing of a thick and 
vigorous crop. The ground must be plowed to a 
depth of six or eight inches, preferably before the 
Spring’s growth begins, and the furrows turned 
completely over. The harrowing must be light, so 
as not to disturb the roots and bring them to the 
surface, and the grain sown as soon as the season 
will permit of growth, in order that it may get a 
good start over the blades of witch grass. Any 
grain may be used, but dent corn, from its rank, 
dense growth, will do the work the best of any with 
which I have had any experience. The grain is 
sown broadcast, at the rate of two or 214 bushels 
to the acre, harrowed lightly, but several times, and 
finished with a heavy roller. There will be many 
kernels that will be visible, but that does not mat¬ 
ter. In a field of wheat there are many kernels that 
are not buried, but their smaller size and different 
color renders them less conspicuous. But the roller 
will place the seed deep enough so that most of the 
kernels will germinate, aud. with good seed, an 
ordinarily moist soil, and an ordinarily wet season, 
a dense crop of cornstalks will result. Of course 
I can conceive of a soil and a season so dry that 
the crop would be a failure, and. consequently, little 
harm would result to the witch grass, but I have 
never known an instance of the kiud. I have never 
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1123 
known of an instance in .which tin 1 witch grass was 
not killed in one season, provided the plowing were 
properly done and the corn sown immediately. But. 
in case there should be dormant, living roots, deep 
in the ground the following Spring, r would suggest 
that the land be disked, sown to wheat, and. at the 
same time, seeded to Timothy and clover. 
Bear in mind that I am not advocating the grow¬ 
ing of corn in this manner as an economical propo¬ 
sition. It will bear no ears, and the stalks will be 
weak and watery, and of comparatively little nutri¬ 
tive qualities. More than this, it must lie harvested 
with the old-fashioned hand sickle, an implement 
which practically went out of date more than a 
generation ago, and few men cam be hired at the 
present time who are skilful enough in its use to 
be able to cut enough silage corn sown in this man¬ 
ner to pay for their board exclusive of wages. But 
this method will effectually control not only witch 
grass, but Canada thistles, wild mustard, poison ivy 
and even blackberry bushes. 
After all, witch grass is not the worst weed in tin* 
world. It has various important commercial uses. 
As a soil binder in locations liable to loss by erosion 
it is one of the best of the grasses. It will yield 
two and often three very fair crops of very fair hay, 
on soil so poor that scarcely any other economical 
crop can be profitably grown. More than this, its 
harvest comes at the slack times between seeding 
and haying, aud between haying and grain harvest¬ 
ing. I do not know its comparative chemical value, 
but I do know that the dairy cow will thrive better 
and give more milk upon a diet of early-cut witch 
grass than upon late-cut Timothy. Neither do I know 
what value the chemist would place upon the feeding 
value of the roots. But I do know that hogs, if 
turned into a field of witch grass, will greedily dig 
them out and will thrive upon them as long as a 
sufficient supply can be had. And, incidentally, they 
will effectually rid a field of this grass if given an 
opportunity. And it may be interesting to note, in 
this connection, that witch grass roots have some 
medicinal value, chiefly as a diuretic, and that the 
United States imports, annually, a quantity of the 
dried roots, sufficient in value to pay for several 
good-sized farms, the supply coming principally from 
Holland. Denmark and Belgium. c. o. obmsbee. 
R. N.-Y.—Henry, in “Feeds and Feeding,” gives 
the analysis of greeu quack grass as 2.2 per cent 
protein, 11.3 carbohydrates and (3.7 fat. The same 
authority puts green Timothy at 1.5 protein, 19.3 
carbohydrates and G.6 fat. 
The Mosquito Pest 
T HE mosquito pest is very bad this year in many 
localities. Some people feel discouraged. They 
have drained swamps and puddles and cleaned up 
stagnant water, and still the mosquitoes come in 
swarms. The scientists claim that mosquitoes can¬ 
not breed except in stagnant water—and they are 
right. Where, then, do these pests come from, when 
Root development increased by available plant food, 
t. untreated soil; 2, soil received green manure; 
3, result of acid phosphate. Fig. 33.'/ 
the puddles aud ponds and swamps have been 
drained? It is more than an even chance that 
around most farmhouses there will be found a dozen 
tin cans, 'buckets or dishes partly tilled with water. 
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