54 
House & Garden 
NEARING the END of the VEGETABLE SEASON 
Weeds , Cover Crops and Harvesting the Results of the Summer s 
Work—The Question of Soil Productiveness 
O NE of the most serious problems that the 
gardener has to contend with is the 
growth of obnoxious weeds. These pests are 
of robust growth and exact a heavy toll from 
the ground. For many reasons it is advisable 
to fight them at this season, one being that the 
weed growth is practically at an end for the 
year, and many weeds, particularly rye grass 
and other coarse rooted things, can be de¬ 
stroyed by digging and shaking out the roots. 
Top rooting weeds can be easily removed be¬ 
cause the ripening of the roots obviates the 
tendency to break and they can be removed 
whole. 
Another factor is that more time is avail¬ 
able now than in the early spring, when caring 
for the plants’ requires greater attention. It 
must be admitted, however, that constant cul¬ 
tivation during the growing period will reduce 
the weed growth to a point where it will not 
be serious at any time of the year. 
Gardens and cultivated fields of any kind 
should be gone over and all weeds cut down 
with a scythe or mowing machine, because of 
the fact that they are seeding at this particular 
time. The tops should be gathered and burned. 
This applies to a situation where it is impos¬ 
sible to dig them under, such as the borders 
of fields or gardens. Uncultivated fields that 
are overgrown with weeds should be cut with 
a mowing machine and the tops burned or 
stacked in heaps and allowed to dry. 
In gardens or on farms where maturing crops 
have left a vacant place it is a good practice 
to sow some crop in order to keep down weed 
growth. A good idea is to use something of 
a coarse growing, vigorous nature, which when 
WILLIAM C. McCOLLOM 
By keeping the ground stirred even in the 
jail, you maintain that increase in soil pro¬ 
ductiveness which cultivation gives. Fur¬ 
thermore, you will be helping to curtail 
next year’s weeds 
sown thickly will absolutely cover the ground. 
Besides adding to the strength of the soil 
when turned under, a crop of this nature serves 
as a weed eradicator and is well worth the 
effort. It would be well to treat garden paths 
and roads with a weed killer in order to de¬ 
stroy the growth, as weeds which are seeding 
now, if allowed to go over until spring before 
being destroyed, will prove a serious task and 
require considerably more material to get them 
under control. 
One of the best and most practical means 
of restoring to the ground the elements that 
are continually being used up by vegetation 
is the use of cover crops. These crops are 
sown for the purpose of being plowed under 
when filled with the qualities necessary to re¬ 
plenish the elements in the soil. Ground of 
any description that is intended for cultivation 
next year and is vacant at this time should 
certainly be sown down with a proper cover 
crop. 
The choice of the cover crop depends to a 
great extent upon the condition of the ground, 
but in all cases the principle involved is the 
same. Orchards, garden areas and farm lands 
should be treated in the same manner. By 
sowing most of these crops at this time, a 
good substantial growth will be obtained by 
early spring when the crops are ready for 
plowing under. In many cases a chain will 
have to be used on the plow to assure proper 
covering. 
For light soils which are deficient in humus 
or water holding qualities, it is advisable to 
use a crop of heavy growth such as rye or 
(Continued on page 58) 
If the weeds are al¬ 
lowed to grow large, 
pulling them uproots 
desirable things 
Stake and tie the tall 
plants to prevent their 
breaking during heavy 
storms 
This is the time to 
cut out the old rasp¬ 
berry canes and tie 
up the young ones 
By removing some of 
the foliage you will 
hasten the ripening of 
the tomatoes 
