THE CHEMIST AIDS THE GARDENER 
The Control of Weeds with Chemicals 
It is usual for weeds to come up along with the young grass in a new lawn, 
because all soils contain seeds of wild plants. Many weed seeds can be destroyed 
by burning the surface of the newly prepared soil with the flame of a Sawco 
Flame Fire Gun before sowing seeds. Nearly all weeds in a new lawn, however, 
will not live if they are persistently cut to lawn height, and it is usual for most 
of them to disappear. Those few weeds which survive should be dug out with 
the roots entire. 
If weeding has been omitted, and weeds, in consequence, have become too 
numerous to remove by hand, or if the size of the lawn makes the task too diffi¬ 
cult, the control of weeds by the application of chemicals may be tried. 
For some time, experts have been working on this problem, but some details 
have yet to be worked out and the principles of chemical weed control are still 
in the experimental stage. The use of pure chemicals on turf of minor conse¬ 
quence may be tried, but it is not advised that they be used on important lawns, 
on which damage to the grass itself would be serious. Experiments are likely 
to be most successful if made in spring or autumn, when the nights are cool, the 
grass being dry at the time. Temporary discoloration of the turf may happen, 
and do not expect all the weeds to be killed—rather expect a reduction in their 
number than their complete eradication with one treatment. 
The destruction of grass and other vegetation on garden paths, roadways, 
and tennis courts is frequently called for, and is not at all difficult: merely 
use Noxweed or Atlacide. 
For Weeds in Turf 
MEO 181 
A new organic mercury compound 
that selects certain weed plants in a 
lawn, especially crab-grass, dandelions, 
and plantains, and kills them without 
injuring the turf; on the contrary, it 
promotes luxuriant grass. One gallon 
treats 200 sq. ft. of lawn when applied 
without dilution with a fine atomized 
mist spray. Keep away from flowers or 
shrubs. Gal. $1.55, 5 gals. $7.25. 
CALCIUM ARSENATE. Destroys mat-forming 
weeds. Use as a dust. Lb. 40 cts., 4 lbs. $1.35, 
24 lbs. $5.50, 100 lbs. $16.50. 
CHICKWEED ELIMINATOR, PURFECK. For 
a description of this, see page 113. Qt. 75 cts., 
gaL $2, 5 gals. $9, 10 gals. $17, 50 gals. $60. 
CLIMAX LAWN SAND. Kills weeds which have 
fibrous roots. May be scattered at the rate of 6 
otmees per 10 square feet, or, for individual weeds, 
a spoonful placed on the crown of each will 
destroy it. The surrounding grass quickly closes 
over. 3 }4‘Ib. can 85 cts., 7 lbs. $1.65, 14 lbs. 
$2.75, 28 lbs. $4.50, 56 lbs. $8. 
IRON SULPHATE. Controls dandelions, plan¬ 
tains, and other weeds in acreage turf. Dissolve 
275 pounds in 150 gallons of water and spray 
over one acre. Repeat every two weeks until 
the weeds disappear. 5 lbs. $1.25, 23 lbs. $4, 100 
lbs. $12. 
LEAD ARSENATE. Used as a dust, this poison 
has also been found to be highly effective in 
eliminating chickweed and mouse-ear. Allow 
10 pounds to 30 pounds per 1000 square feet, 
350 pounds to 1000 pounds per acre. 4 lbs. $1.35, 
24 lbs. $5.50, 100 lbs. $16.50. 
SENOLED. A mixture of mineral colloids and 
Lead Arsenate. Less danger to birds and domes¬ 
tic animals. Discourages crab-grass in turf and 
reduces Poa annua. Use 25 pounds per 1000 
square feet, or one-half ton per acre. 5 lbs. $1.50, 
25 lbs. $3, 100 lbs. $8, 500 lbs. $35, ton $125. 
SODIUM ARSENITE. Most effective on plan¬ 
tains, dandelions and chickweed, knotweed, 
speedwell and self-heal. Applications of from 2 
to 8 ounces to 1000 square feet have been effective 
without injury to the grass—the higher amount 
only during cool weather. May be dissolved in 
water, 1 ounce to 2 gallons or mixed 1 ounce to 
25 pounds of sand and apphed dry. 15-lb. tin 
$3.75, 50-lb. drum $10.50, 100-lb. drum $20. 
SODIUM CHLORATE. For crab-grass. From 
Impound to 2 pounds per 1000 square feet are 
given in May, June, and August, mixed with 
two pailfuls of dry soil or sand. Highly dangerous, 
because the chemical is explosive and inflam¬ 
mable and is likely to ignite one’s clothing. 100 
lbs. (minimum quantity available) $17.50. 
SULPHURIC ACID. A wooden skewer, alter¬ 
nately moi.stened with the acid in an earthen¬ 
ware jar and speared into a weed will kill dande¬ 
lions, plantains, docks, thistles, etc. A danger¬ 
ously poisonous liquid which will burn flesh and 
clothing. Bottle, containing 9 fluid pounds, $5.75. 
For spot treatment of rosette weeds, the follow¬ 
ing mixture is recommended by Messrs. C. K. 
Hallowell and F. V. Grau: a small quantity is 
placed in the heart of each weed: 
Sand 25 lbs., ^Complete Fertilizer 100 lbs.. 
Sodium Chlorate 15 lbs.. Sodium Arsenite 
15 lbs. 
^Emerald Grass Fertilizer {s-7-3) is complete and 
suitable for this mixture. 
For Weeds in Driveways 
NOXWEED. Poisonous but highly eflective. Dis¬ 
solve and sprinkle. For weeds in tennis-courts, 
etc. Apply with a watering-can, sprayer or 
sprinkler barrel. One gallon dilutes to 41 gallons 
and treats 1000 square feet. Qt. 65 cts., gal. $1.75, 
5 gals. $6, 10 gals. $11.50, 30 gals. $25, 55 gals. $40. 
ATLACIDE. Non-poisonous. Apply as a dust. 
Kills poison ivy and other vegetation in drive¬ 
ways, etc. 5 lbs. $1.50, 15 lbs. $3.50, 50 lbs. $7, 
100 lbs. $13.50. 
SALT, AGRICULTURAL. Effective as a weed¬ 
killer on roadways, etc. 100 lbs. $2.75, 500 lbs. 
$12, ton $32.50. 
Algae in Swimming Pools 
COPPER SULPHATE. Use 1 pound for each one 
million gallons’ capacity, and make a suitable 
allowance if the water is flowing. Pack in canvas 
bags and drag along the bottom until dissolved, 
or float bags at the intake. 5 lbs. 85 cts., 10 lbs. 
$1.50, 25 lbs. $3.50, 100 lbs. $12. 
It Doubles the Chromosomes 
COLCHICINE. Influences cell-development, 
affecting heredity, resulting in giantism and 
other malformations in plants, mutations, etc. 
Experimentally, weak solutions are sprayed 
on plants, seeds soaked in them, or they may 
be added to culture solutions. Has wonderful 
possibilities for hybridists, and experimenters 
are advised to acquaint themselves with 
microscopic botany and genetics, and to 
exercise extreme care with this chemical, 
which is highly poisonous and which may have 
effects on the human body. Use gloves and 
do not inhale when using it as a spray. 5 
grains $1, 15 grains $2.25, J^oz. $5, oz. $32. 
A t3tpical sand- 
culture experiment 
HORMODIN “A” and ROOTONE, the root-forming chemicals, which make cuttings 
produce roots quicker and with more certainty, are described on page 115. 
Gardening with Chemicals (Hydroponics) 
It has long been known that plants may be grown quite well without soil, provided the foods which they 
need are furnished in chemical form. In its simplest terms, a plant may have its roots standing in water to 
which the foods, in weak chemical solutions, are added (water-culture), or it may be planted in sand which 
is kept moist with the solution (sand-culture). 
It is thought by many investigators that gardening with chemicals has a commercial future. Possibly, too, 
many plant diseases and a lot of insect enemies may be overcome. Plants properly grown by this method 
cannot suffer checks due to lack of moisture or of insufficient food. One should guard against over¬ 
enthusiasm, however; chemically grown plants need as much sunshine as others, the house-culture of cer¬ 
tain plants that do not like confinement will be just as difficult; plants may not overcrowd; they will suffer as much 
as soil-grown plants from wind, and on anything like a large scale, chemical gardening is likely to be costly. 
The field is a fertile one for experiment. For those wishing to try this interesting form of gardening, we recommend 
the book, “Soilless Growth of Plants,” and we suggest, also, that the bulletins issued by various state and federal 
experiment stations, the agricultural colleges, Columbia University, and the Boyce-Thompson Institute, Yonkers, 
N. Y., be consulted. 
SOILLESS GROWTH OF PLANTS. Nutrient solutions and methods of using them, by C. Ellis and M. W. Swaney. 
Just published. 150 pages, illustrated with diagrams and photographs (some in color), $2.75. 
PLANTET. A complete mixture of chemical salts; contains all the elements for the growth of plants by the sand- 
culture or water-culture methods. Sufficient for 30 gallons of solution, 75 cts. 
For scientists and experimenters, we can supply the various chemicals unmixed. Price on application. 
GLASS WOOL. For packing plants into wire trays for the water-culture methods. Roots stand in the solution. 
Carton, containing 100 square feet, 2 inches thick, $3. 
NOTE.—Many of the chemicals listed on this page are poisons of the most dangerous character. Extreme care 
must be exercised in handling them; keep them locked away from children and irresponsible adults; maintain 
labels intact upon containers; have antidotes available. 
Chemicals 
111 
STUMPP & WALTER CO., NEW YORK CITY 
