MM>t»w>p»ii»«i— w>w»i»iiii'i"'ii»'inim«Mi;««ii'n»«» •^ R B.C»AHE, ^iMMMffiiMa>.iMjas>2JiJ.^ii222;»i?iMg^:a5Si^ 3 CS Come 11 XDlniverstt^ XibraiM^ OF THE IRew l^orh State College of Horiculture H,«^-^:e. o"t- ^^ . 1 The date shows^whCn this volume was taken. Toj"enew this book copv th^call No. and give" to the librarian. mm^-wn' 1 M HOME USE RULES. All Books suHject to Recall, Books not used for instruction or research .^re returnable within- 4 weeks. Volumes of periodi- cals and of pamphlets are held in the library as much as possible. [^1 For. special purposes ■ they are given out for a limited time. Borrowers should not use their library privilegesforthe bene- fit of otiifer persons. Books not needed during recess periods should be returned to the library, or arrange- ments made for their return during borrow- ^ ^ er'sabsence,if wanted. Books needed by more than one person are held on the reserve list. Books of special value and, gift books, when the giver wishes / it, are not allowed to circulate. Readers are asked to report all cases of books marked or muti- lated. Po not deface books by inark.s and writlne:. Cornell University Library SB 61S.Q3C8 Quack grass eradication, prepared especia 3 1924 002 870 404 The original of tliis book is in tlie Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002870404 p. B. CRANH. QUACK GRASS '' ERADICATION Prepared Especially for Farmers Desirous of Destroying this Dangerous Pest BY P. B. CRANE SECOND EDITION N^,^z.oz. Copyright, 1911 by WEBB PUBLISHING COMPANY ST. PAUL., MINN. PUBLISHERS' NOTE. For many years thinking agriculturists have been watching with great apprehension the rapidly increasing growth and spread of the weed known as quack grass. A few years ago this pest was only fotmd in scattered sections of the northern part of the United States, and on isolated farms, but today there are whole town- ships and counties that are almost totally in- fested with the weed. When quack grass takes possession of land, the growing of profitable crops is almost out of the question. To acquaint those farmers, who are unfamiUar with quack grass, with the seriousness of this pest and to offer suggestions as to its eradication, is the purpose of this booklet. We know of just one man in the United States who has completely and absolutely killed, at will, any considerable quantity of quack grass. We say absolutely killed for the reason that there are many experimenters who have been partially successful along this line. That man is Mr. P. B. Crane of I/Ong Lake, Minn. The result of his work has been carefully scrutinized by competent agricultural experts who have given the result of his work imqualified approval. Up until this time, however, his process has been unknown, Mr. Crane having formerly made it a practice to contract eradication of quack grass and to sell information concerning the process. For the benefit of those farmers who have quack-infested farms at this time, we have persuaded Mr. Crane to publish in book form the results of his in- vestigations, combining with his experience all other known information about the weed. It has been our endeavor to pubUsh herewith a book which will give full information about quack grass, not only the ideas of Mr. Crane, whose experience we can heartily commend and verify, but the experience of other practical farm- ers. It should be noted, however, that Mr. Crane is the only one of these experimentors who claims and has demonstrated complete eradica- tion. Reference is also given in these pages to other sources of information, with an idea of making this book a complete compendium on the subject of eradication of this troublesome pest. In the hope that this collaboration of expe- rience will meet with the approval of practical farmers, and that they will put these suggestions given into practice, we are, Very truly, THE PUBLISHERS. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. What Is Quack Grass? — Hay. Identity. Comparison. CHAPTER II. How Quack Grass Grows. — Seeds. How Introduced. CHAPTER III. Principles of Eradication. — Different Methods. CHAPTER IV. My Story. — Discouragement. Final Success. Nature's Restorative. Rotation of Crops. Feeding the Soil. CHAPTER V. The Crane System of Quack Grjiss Eradication. — Its Accomplishments. CHAPTER VI. Eradication Methods. — Cultivation. When to Cultivate. How to Cultivate. CHAPTER VII. Eradication with Spray and Cultivation. — Formula for Spray. Use of Spray. Time to Spray. CHAPTER VIII. Miscellaneous Suggestions. — Cultivation at Different Seasons. CHAPTER IX. Other Methods. — Tar Paper. Smother Crops, etc. APPENDIX. A Few Statements Concerning the EflSciency of Mr. Crane's Method. — A List of Standard Agricultural Books. THIS CERTIFICATE ENTITLES PURCHASER ONLY TO THE USE OF THE CRANE FORMULA HEREIN MENTIONED 3T0rm«k for SIj^ i^prag la^ii bg j^v/ie (2;^V*V* ftrftt time matre ^luMii; in ttjie tt«rok. WEBB PUB( ISHING COMPANY 5T PAUL. MINN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED fai^4W^r^^^^r^3v^.=:^^^^V^4^^^ CHAPTER I. WHAT IS QUACK GRASS? A Plant Out of Place. — It has been said that a weed is but a plant out of place, or a plant for which no good use has been found. Quack grass is this kind of a weed, especially in those agricultural sections of the United States where mixed farming is pursued, and the grow- ing of an occasional crop is the rule. Quack grass, together with the wild wheat grasses, to which it is closely related, is foimd in many sections of the United States. Like the wheat grasses, it is a valuable plant in semi-arid sections where the obtaining of a permanent stand of grass is desired, and where it is difficult to grow the ordinary tame grasses. Quack Grass Hay is quite nutritious, and quack grass pastiure is apparently reHshed by all kinds of stock. There are some sections of the country where quack grass might become a valuable plant as a regular crop, but in the regions where mixed farming is pursued, it is certainly a plant out of place, and must at all times be considered as a very dangerous weed which a farmer will Fig. 1. Quack grass (Agropyron repens Beauv.). (a) spikelet; (b) parts of splkelet displayed; (2) empty glumes. (Div. ot Agros. U. S. Dept. Agrl.) (Bulletin 83, Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa.) WHAT IS QUACKi GRASS? 11 allow to grow on his farm at his peril. Backed by its wonderful root system, it will sm-vive al- most any kind of unfavorable weather or soil conditions where it would be a most difficult problem for other plants to live, and it is so well equipped for a hard life that it will almost totally occupy rich land and crowd out and choke all other tame grasses, small grains and even a corn crop. A Perennial. — Quack grass belongs to that class of plants that are known as perennials, the name which designates plants that live over from year to year, starting from seed and developing leafage the first season and storing up a food supply in the roots to carry the plant over winter. This is in marked contrast to the growth of such annual plants as start from seed, make all their growth in one season and die after producing a crop. Quack grass is therefore doubly dangerous on account of its long-lived characteristics. It has been a dangerous and troublesome weed in Europe for a great many years, causing vastly increased expense of operating farm land. With our increased labor expense over European con- ditions the pest is a far greater problem here than abroad. 12 QUACK GRASS. Judging from its characteristics and habitat, quack grass seems to be essentially a northern weed, being most persistent in the northern tier of states. It is so cosmopoUtan in its taste, however, that it is reaching farther south every year, and may soon be nearly as troublesome in the com belt as it is in the small grain states. Identity. — Quack grass is known to the scientists as agropyron repens. It is quite often confused with a number of other grasses, especially the wheat grasses, to which family in fact it does belong. Without entering into a long discussion or description of these plants, we are publishing herewith photographs of quack grass plants and roots, and also photographs of other plants with which it is commonly confused. Those who are suspicious of harboring these plants on their farms should make it a point to study the photographs published herewith, and positively identify the weed with which they have to contend. Most of the experiment stations have pub- lished bulletins containing photographs of these different weeds. If the reader is at all in doubt as to the particular weed he has on his place, we would advise taking a specimen of the Fig 2. Heads of (1) quack grass; notice how much closer the spikelets are than in (2) rye grass; (3) true sweet vernal; (4) bromus. 14 QUACK GRASS. stalk, seed and roots of the weed and sending it to the agronomist at the nearest experiment station. Comparison. — With reference to the different plants confused with quack grass, Prof. A. D. Wilson, of the Minnesota Experiment Station, has written the following description which appeared in a 1908 issue of The Farmer : ' ' There are often other plants that are taken for quack grass, either by the similarity of the heads or by the fact that they have tmderground stems or root stalks. Rye grass has a head somewhat similar to quack (See Figure 2), but the two may usually be identified by the fact that the spikelets on the head of the rye grass are farther apart than on the head of the quack grass. Each spikelet on the quack grass extends past the base of the head next higher on the same side of the head, while in rye grass each spikelet does not reach the base of the spikelet about it (See Figure 2) . Rye grass is a plant rather com- monly used for a hay crop, especially farther west where the seasons are usually dry. It does not make as good quality of hay as does timothy or bromus. It is not hard to destroy as it has no root stalks and may be distinguished from quack grass by the fact that its roots are fine and fiberous, similar to timothy roots. Pig". 3, Root and head of holy grass, commonly called sweet vernal because sweet scented and often mistaken for quack grass in the spring before heading, as it has root stalks. 16 QUACK GRASS. "Another grass commonly called sweet vernal, though not truely sweet vernal (See Figure 3), is very often taken for quack grass as it has simi- lar tmderground root stalks. This grass is usually recognized by its sweet, spicy odor and is certainly distinguished from quack grass by it bushy, panicled head, so different from the straight spike of the quack grass. "Bromus, a cultivated grass quite commonly grown for hay or pasturage, may sometimes be mistaken for quack grass, especially when small. Bromus is rather persistent and after a meadow or pasture of bromus is plowed it often starts in thick btmches, in the spring, very similar to quack grass and the two are not easily told apart at this stage, as both have underground root stalks. Bromus may be recognized, however, by its broader leaf, and when heads appear, by its broadly spreading panicle (See Figure 2) . "Another class of plants known as muhlen- bergia is sometimes mistaken for quack grass, but plants of this class may be told with reason- able accuracy by their scaly root stalks. (See Figure 4.) The heads also are sufficiently dif- ferent to identify them. (See Figures 1 and 4). " ■*(HV»1 Pig. 4. Roots and heads of one of the muhlenbergias. The roots' of all are similar. Note scaly root stalk. CHAPTER II. HOW QUACK GRASS GROWS. Seeds. — Quack grass is usually introduced onto a farm either through the purchase of grass and grain seed or the purchase of hay containing quack. In buying hay a farmer should always be very careful to ascertain whether it comes from a quack grass farm. Quack grass seeds will not all be destroyed by feeding the hay to live stock, and if there is any seed in the hay the chances are that the farmer wiU later have some strange plants on his farm which he will, in time, identify as quack grass. Caution. — Until we have pure grain seed laws, when a farmer can tell exactly what he is buying, he is never safe from the introduction of quack grass on his farm. It is most often found in grass seed, and especially in timothy. While the seed is in the husk it is somewhat of the shape and size of blue grass seed or EngUsh rye grass, When the kernel shells out the naked seed is about the size of timothy, but longer, and is very likely to slip through without being detected. We reproduce here the photographs of the seed. HOW QUACK GRASS GROWS. 19 both with and without the husk. Look to your grass seed and do not plant any with quack in. This is the first step in prevention. Fig. S. Seeds of (1) quacK grass, sing-le; (2) quack grass with two or more seeds as they grew. They were not separated "when shelled. They often appear together in this manner. (3) Pigeon grass. How Introduced. — Quack grass may be in the hay purchased from neighbors. It may be brought on the farm in screenings. The drop- pings of animals pastured on quack grass may start the pest, or it may creep under the fence from the neighbors. Once quack grass gets into a com- mimity it soon gets the visiting habit and tries to take up its abode on every farm in that com- munity. It is doubly dangerous on accotmt of the insidious manner in which it works its 20 QUACK GRASS. way onto the land of our good farms, getting a strong foothold before its presence is detected. The Tremendous Importance of Checking this weed at its first appearance, we cannot empha- size too strongly. A httle job of hand digging may do the work at the start, but once the patches begin to appear over the farm, more vigorous measures must be imdertaken and some of the remedies mentioned in this book adopted. There are very few men in the coimtry who can say that they have killed quack grass, dome by tremendous energy and expense, have sub- dued it to the point where they can grow a profit- able crop for one year, but complete eradication is another matter. As long as a single root remains in the soil a constant fight must be waged. The Wisconsin Experiment Station estimates that it costs $30 an acre to exterminate quack grass by ordinary cultural methods. These methods have usually proven impractical in the hands of the average farmer. We beheve that with the ordi- nary methods in use it will cost far more than this amotmt, and every farmer knows that the depre- ciation in the value of land known to be infested is more than the above amoimt. A Blessing in Disguise. — Quack grass is not without its merits. It has been caUed by some HOW QUACK GRASS GROWS. 21 of our authorities a blessing in disguise. It is one of those perennial weeds that finds its best chance to grow on the farm where there is not a proper rotation of crops; in other words, on the farm of the soil robber. Weeds of this kind are Nature's rebuke to the man who believes in con- tinuous cultivation of land and who never gives the soil a rest by seeding down. It is an actual fact that land which has been cursed with quack grass, when reclaimed, is in an exceedingly fertile condition, the mass of decayed roots and the rest given to the soil having prac- tically rejuvenated it. Nature has merely fol- lowed her usual course of rotating crops and build- ing up the fertility of the soil by adding humus and stored plant food in the shape of roots. A Reclaimed quack grass farm is usually in almost a virgin state of fertility and will pay good interest by way of increased crops for the labor and loss of time spent in eradication. We believe a farmer should not rest content with anything short of complete eradication, such as Mr. Crane has made possible. CHAPTER III. PRINCIPLES OF ERADICATION. In the eradication'^of perennial weeds there are two principal points to consider: First, the elimination of the stalk and leaves, or all above ground growth. Second, the destruction of all roots. Annual Weeds are as a rule easily destroyed by simple cultivation, or the putting of land into cultivated crops. Barley is a useful crop to handle in connection with winter annual weeds. A Perennial plant, with an extensive root sys- tem, is an entirely different proposition. In a perennial plant, the stalk and leaves are mere- ly the stomach of the plant. True it is that we can keep down growth by shutting off the stomach of the roots and starving them to death, but it is a difficult task. As long as a single spear of grass can show itself to the sim or to the air, just so long will the roots retain their vitality. Our aim must there- fore be to entirely smother and rot them in the soil. PRINCIPLES OP ERADICATION. 23 Of the Different Methods of eradication which give partial success, we would especially mention those methods that are based on the starvation of the roots : namely, the use of smother crops or bare fallowing. If a farmer wishes to completely eradicate quack grass from his farm, he must make up his mind to do a most thorough job. He will, by fallowing, lose the use of that land for one year. Eradication of quack grass requires effectual work and there is no use in temporizing with it. It can be partially subdued and a crop grown, but it creeps in from year to year and will always be an annoyance. A large share of the recent spread of quack grass can be directly traced to this cherished habit that farmers have of try- ing to eradicate quack grass and attempting a profitable crop at the same time. The crop very seldom turns out in a satisfactory manner. The quack grass is merely tickled by cultiva- tion into further vigor, and the results are un- satisfactory all arotmd. Farmers who are in dead earnest in their efforts to eradicate quack grass, can do so by the care- ful following of the Crane System. Further- more, it will pay them to do this, even though they lose the use of the land for that year. This PRINCIPLES OF ERADICATION. 25 is not necessary in all cases, however. In the first place they will be completely freed from the pest, and in the next place their land will be in so much finer mechanical condition, being mellow, fertile, and having all the plant food in the top soil available, that the increase in crops the following year on clean land will sm-ely more than pay for the work of eradication. Of the different methods of eradication, we would suggest those outlined below as the most practical to follow, which methods are described more in detail in later pages of this book. Bare Fallowing. — Bare fallowing is the sys- tem most commonly advocated; in other words, the laying aside of a piece of land to be plowed in early summer before the quack grass has gone to seed and continuously replowed and harrowed throughout a growing season. This bare fal- lowing is ordinarily supposed to kill any weed, but imless the cultivator is especially faithful to his task, quack grass will elude him. Smother Crops. — The use of smother crops is commonly advocated. Even the most en- thusiastic advocates of this method do not assert that it will give complete eradication. The growing of buckwheat, sorghum, millet, clover, hemp and other foHage plants that shade 26 QUACK GRASS. the ground, will keep quack grass in subjection during that season and thus possibly do good, but the roots which persist in the ground will quickly recuperate, and thrive with their original vigor the next season. Of this method we shall have more to say in later pages of this book. The Crane System. — Mr. Crane's system of complete eradication differs from other methods, in that it gives complete eradication of quack grass without damage to the land and without great expense, as is invariably the case with other haphazard methods. This method con- sists simply in turning quack grass sod roots imder the groimd to the point where they will not do any harm, and keeping them there by persistent cultivation, according to prescribed methods, tmtil the roots have decayed. A dry season is supposed to be the proper time to kill quack grass, and the use of fallowing and other methods depend upon dry seasons. On the contrary, Mr. Crane's method does not de- pend upon the season to any great extent. Of the results of his method there can be no question ; the expressions of experts who have kept his fields under continuous inspection being sufficient evidence along this Hne. Not only has the method proven a success on Mr. Crane's own farm, PRINCIPLBiS OP ERAMCATION. 27 but it has proven likewise successful in the hands of other farmers. In the subsequent chapters of this book, Mr. Crane tells the story in his own words. It is the story of a practical farmer, who, by continuous experimentation, and after sad experience, has absolutely cleaned his farm of this weed, which was formerly so abundant that the place was known as "The Quack Grass Farm. ' ' CHAPTER IV. MY STORY. Credentials. — In order to give the proper credentials to the practical farmers who read this book, I will say that I have been in close touch with farm matters all my life, and most of my time has been spent in actual tilling of the soil. I was bom in Milwaukee, Wis., March 6th, 1847, moved to Minnesota in 1869, and spent my early life on a farm in Chippewa Cotmty, Minnesota. In later years I conceived the idea of making a fortune in the city, but after a heavy loss by fire in 1897, I went back to my first love — the farm. The Last Farm which I purchased was in Hennepin coimty,, Minnesota, near Long Lake. I knew that the soil was a heavy clay loam and capable of producing first-class crops. I did not know anything about quack grass, however, but after my purchase was made, be- came acquainted with the fact that the farm was very badly infested. It did not take me very many years to find out that if I did not get rid of quack grass on that 5 MY STORY. 31 farm, the quack grass would take complete pos- session and nm me off the place. I Became so Discouraged that I could not sleep nights. The farm was mortgaged, and quack grass was getting more of a hold every day. I fairly cursed these roots from morning to night and loathed working among them; in fact, it was the most discouraging task I ever tmder- took. After most thoroughly cultivating and disking a field, in three or four days it would again begin to look green with a new growth of grass. Final Success. — Under such conditions can you wonder that I was compelled to study this pest, and by different methods seek to eradicate it? Can you wonder that I am anxious to tell other farmers of my final success after many years of careful work? My fields today are open to the inspection of anyone who cares to look at them, and they are as free from quack grass, and all other serious weeds, as was the virgin soil. Moreover, they are in the best state of fertility that they have ever been since the land was originally broken up. My land, in the condition which I found it, was worth practically nothing for cropping purposes. 32 QUACK GRASS. I know of many other such farms that should be worth $100 an acre, which can be rented to-day absolutely free of charge if a man will merely work them. Today my farm is not only free of this weed, but it is in the finest possible mechanical con- dition, and I believe as fertile as it ever could be. I have increased its value from practically nothing, to $300.00 per acre. This land was a solid mat of quack grass. Today I have a ten acre apple orchard that is entirely free from quack, also raspberries, straw- berries and plums. This increased value is sole- ly because of the eradication of quack grass. I therefore feel no hesitation in advising my fellow farmers on the same subject. Since everything written has been taken from my own personal experience, I know exactly what I am talking about when I give advice and instruction. All this information has been se- cured by hard knocks with quack grass itself. Nature's Restorative. — In these years while I have been studying and fighting quack grass, I have gleaned many other ideas on good farm- ing. In the first place I have fotmd out that quack grass is really a soil builder. ■ When a Fig-. 9. This twin elm tree stands on Mr. Crane's farm. In early days it was used as a landmark for passersby, and the farm was called the "Twin Elm Farm." Later it became known as the "Quack Grass Farm." Since eradicating' the! quack grass it is again pronounced the "Twin Elm Farm." 34 QUACK GRASS. man grows continuous crops of com and other crops without putting back the proper compensa- tion of fertility in the soil, he soon exhausts this soil of humus and plant food which is so neces- sary for the continuous growing of good crops. Then Nattue starts to growing perennial weeds, such as quack grass and other weeds that have a great root system. This mass of roots in the soil gathers plant food and holds moisttue, and after dying and decaying again leaves in that soil the good heart which was originally given to it by the decaying crops of prairie grasses and forest mold. Nature locks up plant food when we farm land improperly. In other words it lacks humus and is out of mechanical condition. Grass roots restore this humus, tmlock plant food, and the soil again becomes in good mechani- cal condition. I believe that some of our richest land today can be fotmd imder quack grass sods. Rotation of Crops. — In the next place I have learned that a sensible rotation of crops is abso- lutely essential in connection with good farming. We must give land a rest by seeding down to grass occasionally, especially the legumes which not only leave an abundance of roots in the soil, but which take from the air nitrogen and put it into the soil in the form of nitrates ready for sue- MY STORY. 35 ceeding crops. I have found that where a farmer practices a three or five year rotation of crops, which includes at least a year or two of grass, and feeds out this roughage to live stock, putting back the manure onto the grass land, he will keep the soil in almost a continuous state of fertility, and never find it necessary to purchase commercial fertilizer. This is Nature's way of farming, and I have observed that the closer we follow Nature, the better we will come out financially in our farming operations. Feeding the Soil. — I have found that we must feed the soil just as we feed our stock, and if we feed the soil we must turn the farm into a factory, sending off of it the finished products in the form of meat and butter, and saving the by-product — manure- — ^nd putting it onto the land before its manurial value is wasted. I have foimd a manure spreader a first-class investment for my farm, and believe it pays for itself every year. If I have any rotten strawstacks, the refuse goes back on the land. All manure is hauled out and used for top dressing the meadows and the grain fields immediately after the seeding is done. By following this rotation of crops, and the saving of all the manure, we keep all our 36 QUACK GRASS. capital — the fertility of the soil — aright on the farm, and clip off the coupons in the way of finished products. Cultivation is the foe of all weeds. The greatest benefit I have received in fighting quack grass has been the lesson of cultivation. By turning over the soil by cultivation we liberate all possible plant food, we warm the soil; we mellow it ; we aerate it, and get it into the best possible con- dition for a crop. No hard, lumpy condition of the soil should be allowed to exist. Disk the land until you have pulverized the lumps. When you have seeded the field, and the tiny root of grain starts out in search of plant food, proper cultivation will put that plant food right in its path, but if it strikes a hard lump of earth which the root cannot penetrate, right there the growth is cut short. The Eradication of Quack Grass is intimately connected with good farming. I have noticed that the richer your land, the easier it is to eradicate quack grass. The poorer your land is, and the less humus it contains, the harder it is to eradicate quack grass. Therefore, when you are working with this weed, always keep in mind the enrichment of your soil. 38 QUACK GRASS. You could not find a more worthless forty acre farm in Minnesota than was mine when I purchased it. Today I do not beUeve you can find a better forty in the state, and I challenge any farmer to produce better crops than I will produce on this re-claimed quack grass farm. I extend a general invitation to every farmer interested in this work, to visit the farm and see the results, as I beUeve it is the only absolutely re-claimed quack grass farm which exists today. CHAPTER V. THE CRANE SYSTEM OF QUACK GRASS ERADICATION. The Information which has been sent out from the agricultural experiment stations, and through the agricultural press, concerning the eradication of quack grass, would fill volumes. I feel safe in saying, however, that a great deal of this in- formation has not been based upon the actual experience of those giving this information. There are very few people who from actual ex- perience can say that they have subdued quack grass to the point where they can raise profitable crops, to say nothing of complete eradication. Furthermore, the information disseminated has been so conflicting and so imperfect in many cases that the farmer seeking information has become confused and disgusted to the point where he believes that it is entirely impossible to absolutely eradicate the pest. As Originator of the ' ' Crane System ' ' I claim to be the only man living who has actually re- claimed an abandoned quack grass farm, and to have originated a practical system of eradication 40 QUACK GRASS. which can be followed by any farmer who cares to study the matter and follow instructions. The Fields on my farm at Long Lake, in Hen- nepin County, Minnesota, which were completely taken by a most vigorous stand of quack grass, can be inspected by anyone who cares to inake an investigation; and I challenge anyone to produce cleaner fields or a more perfect condition of the soil. These fields have been repeatedly investi- gated by competent experts whose testimony is given in another portion of this book, and I have at all times kept the standing offer to give $5.00 for any Uve root or spear of quack grass which can be found on the fields so treated. Quack grass is undoubtedly one of the worst pests that the American farmer ever had to con- tend with. On accotmt of its extreme hardi- ness, and its ability to thrive on most any kind of soil or under most adverse conditions, it seems almost an utter impossibility to destroy it. Thousands of farmers have labored persistently and continuously year after year, trying as best they knew how, to kill, or at least check the growth and further spread of its roots; but in spite of all their toil and precaution Quack Grass has made steady progress. It has spread from the little green patch that was first discovered in the THE CRANE SYSTEM. 41 field, until it has entirely and completely covered said field, and not being satisfied with that, has continued its onward march across the line into the adjoining fields, and along the highways and the byways, and is rapidly creeping into every nook and comer where vegetation grows, and will continue to spread just as long as it is allowed to exist. Complete Eradication of quack grass is what the American farmer wants today, and were I not able to give you this, there would be no need of this book. Many progressive tillers of the soil can hold quack grass in subjection, and thereby raise a fair crop on his land; but to accompUsh this one has to do a great deal of extra work every year, and still the quack grass roots are sufficient- ly numerous to again thoroughly sod the ground the next season. It is true that this cultivation is very bene- ficial to the soil, and where you have applied a proper system of cultivation I have no hesitancy in stating that your field produced an increased yield, and you were rejoiced in that you had gotten a little the best of quack grass. I feel safe is stating that thousands of farmers have ap- plied sufficient cultivation to their quack grass 42 QUACK GRASS. fields to have completely eradicated the quack, had this work been applied in the proper manner. For seven years I struggled along in this man- ner, and all of the time the quack was getting the best of me. In 1902 I used a chemical solution that was strong enough to kill the quack. I applied this to the patches in the field, and those patches are still visible, as it not only killed the quack, but ruined the soil, and those patches are barren today. My next success was with a spray which would check the growth of the plant so that it would succumb to cultivation. This spray was applied to the grass which was plowed under. Then the groimd was thoroughly disked so as to form a dust covering, or mulch, all over the surface of the field. This served to conserve the moisture, also to prevent the evaporation of the spray, and where the disking was repeated every week for seven weeks, the grass was completely gone, and nothing but the dead and decayed roots re- mained to tell the story. From this I learned that quack grass could be killed by cultivation alone; but cultivation without the spray takes from two to four weeks more time. Wliile it takes more time and cultivation to kill it in this manner, the extra cultivation is very beneficial THE CRANE SYSTEM. 43 to your land. I am sure that you will agree with me (after you have killed your quack) that quack grass has really proved a friend in saving your soil fertility. I have been a farmer for forty years in the grand old state of Minnesota, and I am free to confess that quack grass has taught me the best lesson that I have ever learned, and that is, the preparation of the soil for the planting of the seed. I raised one hundred and six baskets of corn to the acre this season — 1909 — ^where the last crop on said field only produced thirty baskets off the five acres of grotmd. Quack grass had previously choked out the crop completely. When my system of eradication reclaims this field that was abandoned from cultivation be- cause of quack grass, and prepares the soil in such condition that it will produce 106 baskets of com to the acre, I feel justified in saying that quack grass has rejuvenated my land. No ferti- lizer was used on this field, other than the quack grass roots. The heavier the quack grass, the more productive the soil. Show me a farm that is heavily sodded with quack, and I will show you a farm that is worth good money. Quack grass is the best indicator of soil quality of any plant that grows. Poor land, under a r" ^ ni <0 0) ,' . >— ' >^ ►V "J m« o PjO 3 B si a-" ;:?' cpSE P 3 J, 1^ O M fD Oleics sS g.s o (c Tjg 3 ^^1 3 3 mo g W (D O ^ 3>^S3£ 3 32 ■ O'CD P tB t:- • 3p2.StT CD W M - CD !*»• y? • •$• "- > •^f;^,- i . .- 'ji."' , "... '^t: - '., * r-' 48 QUACK GRASS. field which had been abandoned for cultivation for many years, the quack grass roots did not ex- tend down more than two and one-half inches and were very small and slender. I plowed this about 8 inches deep, then used the disk every week for six weeks, and then every other week for the balance of the season, commencing June, 1907. (See Fig. No. 12.) This field was seeded to wheat in 1908 and the growth was so heavy that it all lodged and had to be cut with a mowing machine. Even at that I got 18 bushels to the acre. The ground was plowed that fall and the next spring was seeded to speltz. This also lodged and was cut with the mower, raked with the hay rake, and then it yielded 40 bushels per acre. Not a spear of quack can now be found on this field. I shall sow same field to oats next season and shall expect at least 50 bushels to the acre on this ground, and will report the yield. On one other field I commenced work May 25th, 1908, and on another field on which I cut quack grass hay in July, 1908, I commenced work in August. These two pieces were planted to corn May 14th, 1909. One himdred and six baskets of com to the acre from these fields, THE CRANE SYSTEM. 49 while the year before no man would have given one dollar per acre for the use of this land. Another strip along the roadway, cut of which is herewith submitted, was plowed in the spring, same as the balance of the field, for corn, but the sod was so thick that there was no show for the com to grow. In August I went at this with a certain form of cultivation. This season — 1909 — this strip was planted to corn with the rest of the field, and no sign of any return of the quack grass. (See Fig. 13.) On another two-acre piece I had sweet corn in 1908, but the quack had the best of it all the way through. Commencing October 10th, I complete- ly eradicated the quack grass from this field. Same was planted to raspberries this spring — 1909 — and is in perfect condition. This past season of 1909, I commenced on a low piece of ground May 21st. There was a heavy sod of quack all over the field. On one-half of this field the spray was applied and not on the other half — same cultivation continuous over the en- tire field. On September 1st, the portion, on which the spray was applied, the quack was com- pletely killed, while on the balance of the field the green still showed in October. +j s P h THE CRANE SYSTEM. 51 Where eradication without the spray is desired, work of plowing should not be commenced be- fore Jime 10th; but where the spray is used, work can be commenced as early as May 20th. This work may be commenced as late as November 1st and have the quack killed by the 1st of July of the following year, and by being most thorough with the cultivation it can be completed in early June. I plowed a heavy sod of quack November, 1908, and Jime, 1909, it was completely eradicated. Another field on which cultivation was com- menced June 15, 1909, the last work was done on this field, Aug. 25, and it is now entirely free from quack. No plowing was done in this field. The actual labor appHed would not amotmt to the value of five dollars per acre. On another field, the plowing was done Jime 20th, 1909. Not a spear of quack has been seen on this field since September 15th. Still another field on which clover and quack grass was cut for hay July, 1909, was plowed in September, the second crop being turned under. This field will be planted to com in May, 1910, and I will guarantee that it will be entirely free from quack grass, and will produce without a doubt, 60 bushels of corn next season. I do not say this 52 QUACK GRASS. boastingly, but the conditions warrant it. The cultivation necessary to kill quack grass has pul- verized the soil and made a perfect seed bed. Add to that the decayed quack grass and clover and you will tmderstand why I mention 60 bushels of com per acre. We must feed Mother Earth if she continues to feed us. I believe that the all-wise Creator sent quack grass to teach us that plant food and intensive cultivation are neces- sary to the production of boimtiful crops. When I see the most bountiful crops that these aban- doned, but now reclaimed, quack grass fields produce, I sincerely thank the Lord for this great blessing. CHAPTER VI. ERADICATION METHODS. The Crane System of Quack Grass Eradica- tion is based on the principle of turning over the quack grass sod, roots and. all, to a sufficient depth so that we can cultivate or disk the top soil without disturbing the roots. Our chief aim then is to keep this sod where we have placed it imtil the roots are decayed or absolutely dead. We do not want to plow that land again and turn up those roots until we are sure that the roots are absolutely dead, or else the work may have to be done over again. Plowing. — A field thoroughly sodded with quack grass should first be plowed eight or ten inches deep. If the spray system, described elsewhere in this book, is used, the spraying must, of course, be done first. Use a breaking plow and lay the sod over flat and smooth. A jointer should be used on the plow so as to drop the sod down fiat in the furrow, and not lay the end edge up on the top of the other 54 QUACK GRASS. slice. When this plowing is properly done it means the saving of much work. Effective Plowing. — When it is possible to do so, one should plow around the field, thereby avoiding back furrows. While this may not appeal to some practical farmers as the ideal way to plow, the object in thus plowing is to com- pletely turn the sod under and have three inches of clean dirt on top of the sod after it is turned over. Disking. — When the plowing is finished, hitch onto the disk and drive the same way that you plow, and lap the disk half way so th£_t you virtually turn all the groimd twice. Disk twice over in this manner. Care. — In using the disk one should be very careful not to turn the green sod up egtin, as we must remember at all times that we are trying to keep it imdemeath the dirt. In case the disk goes too deep, set it so that it will not turn so much dirt, and in some cases the driver must walk. In our treatment remember we are just turn- ing the top dirt, using this dirt as a bknkct, so to speak, to starve out and rot those roots underneath. Fig. 14. Plowing. This plow does not turn the sod over flat. A jointer should be used so as to drop the sod right down flat on the bottom of the furrow. 56 QUACK GRASS. Interval. — After you have disked sufficiently — ^in other words when you have formed a fine dust covering or mulch all over the surface on that field — you can then let the work rest for a week or ten days, when you should get out your disk and go over it again. Set the disk at as steep an angle as you pos- sibly can — be sure of this — and lap the disk half way each time so that there is no open space left where the center of the disking passes over the ground. Cross Disk. — During this second disking period, also cross disk and let the work rest for a week or ten days. Then repeat the work. Stubborn Patches. — On portions of the field where there are especially stubborn patches of quack grass, see to it that you keep up the disk- ing tmtil you have the soil over these patches thoroughly pulverized. The ends of the field, where you have turned around and packed the ground when you were plowing, should also receive special attention, for it will take extra work there to do a thorough job of pulverizing. I always finish up by going back and forth across the ends several times. I always notice that where I have put on extra work, the result is very evident. ERADICATION METHODS. 57 Cultivator. — After you have given the field ' the fourth disking, as above described, work the field the fifth time with a sulky com cultiva- tor. The cultivator which I have been using is especially adapted for this work, the points of the shovel being reinforced and the blades made extra heavy for this work in quack grass. The shovel should be of such a shape that the roots do not hang over the points, thereby pre- venting the doing of good work. The lags should be placed so close together that you do not miss any of the quack grass roots. Cultivate this ground three inches deep on the fifth week. Cultivate crosswise also and go four inches deep. The Driver. — Allow me to say a word to the driver of the cultivator. If you have turned over a thick quack grass sod you must remem- ber there are quack grass roots in every inch of this ground, consequently, you must cultivate every inch of the groimd, and cultivate at an even depth. Drive the team straight. Do not jerk them first to one side and then to the other, but keep a line on them all the time and see that the tracks from your cultivator are straight. It is much easier for a team to step straightfor- ward every step than to be turned first to the right and then by a hard jerk on the line back against Fig. 15. The above cut shows quack grass roots. They are cut In Joints to illustrate that any one of these joints, if left In the ground undisturbe^-^ 1 ;.%3^-. '. A i 90 QUACK GRASS. ' ' We also plowed some of the quack grass sod in June and put in sorghum. The results were practically as with the millet. A good crop was raised and the quack is now sending up spindly shoots. The quack grass has been hurt and kept in check, but not killed. "On another farm we have observed what clover will do on quack grass sod, and we find that a good crop of clover has in some cases been raised even where the quack was very abundant ; in fact we have seen one field partially infested with quack grass where the clover is higher on the quack sod than on any other part of the field. This leads us to believe that quack grass will do less damage in the meadow than on any crop on the farm. This is the best place to keep it until more active measures of cultivation are taken up. "Quack grass land shotdd not be cultivated at all unless it is cultivated thoroughly and not allowed the slightest advantage imtil a crop is well established. ' ' Quack grass will do the least damage in the meadow. The hay should be cut before the quack grass seeds are ripe. The plant will spread some- what from the root, but not nearly so much as in a cultivated field. OTHER METHODS. 91 ' ' In order to kill quack grass it must be smoth- ered, that is, its roots must be starved to death by keeping down all growth above ground. This starving of the roots may be accomplished by surface cultivation or by the growing of some crop which will prevent its making any above ground growth. Unless great care is used, the ordinary shovel plow in a wet season will do much >to spread the growth of quack grass in other parts of the field. Smother crops, such as millet, sorghum, clover and buckwheat cannot be absolutely depended upon to, kill quack grass, but if given sufficient headway in starting growth they will greatly damage the vitality of the plant, and other methods of eradication can then be taken up. "Fall plowing or disking just before freezing weather, will kill a large proportion of quack grass roots. Disking in hot weather will have the same effect. Surface cultivation has proven eminently satisfactory at the Farmer Farm in growing a first-class field of com on quack grass sod. ' ' Mr. Thomas Harbom, late manager of James J. Hill's farm, gives the following experiences in 92 QUACK GRASS. fighting quack grass in Steams county, Min- nesota : ' ' Don't plow your land or touch it in any way until about the 25th of May, so as to give the quack grass a good chance to get started. Then take a plow and put on a jointer instead of a rolling coulter. Then be careful in setting out your ridge to see that everything is thoroughly covered and plow as deep as possible. Then as soon as possible after it is plowed harrow thor- oughly and make as good a seed bed as possible. Next take your com planter and plant Triumph or any kind of com that will grow a medium sized stalk and a good, heavy leaf. See that the com cioltivator teeth are thoroughly sharp and culti- vate as often as possible. Then cut your com and before it freezes up take a potato digger and rtm that on each row which will shake the soil from the roots and leave them on top of the ground and the frost of the winter will kill it, but if you think the roots are not dead take your rake and rake them out and bum them. Then plow and seed to small grain of any kind and with a seeding of clover you have got your land clean. If this does not clean it, repeat the former part of the program. ' ' Mr. A. W. Trow, the well known agricultural OTHER METHODS. 93 writer, gives the following suggestions in fighting quack grass : ' ' We have known of several first-class farmers in Olmstead cotmty who start in to eradicate quack grass by first giving it close pasturing with horses or sheep. The longer and closer quack grass is pastured the nearer its roots come to the surface. After it has been pastured until the roots have come close to the surface, the groimd is plowed very late in the fall, and it should be plow- ed extremely deep. If possible turn this furrow at least ten inches deep, and bear in mind that this plowing is of no account unless a fiat furrow is turned; that is, turn the furrow completely upside down. This deep plowing with a flat furrow is to bury the quack grass, and afterward follow with a cultivated crop, but the culti- vation should be shallow to avoid tearing up the sod and bringing the roots to the surface. We recently met an expert farmer from one of the large estates in Sweden, who informed us that deep plowing after close pasturing was a system of keeping back quack grass that is being qiiite generally followed in his country. He used the term ' keeping back^ ' as he claims it to be almost impossible to entirely eradicate it in their cotmtry where the precipitation is so heavy. :.feM.'-/-:.^.| OTHER METHODS. 95 "When groiind infested with quack grass is plowed before a sod is formed, or if the sod is of such a character that a flat furrow can not be turned , it is better to plow very late in the fall and leave the furrow standing on edge as much as possible, as there is nothing that will reduce the vitality of quack grass roots more than dry freezing, hence as above stated, there are two distinct methods for plowing quack grass — either bury it complete- ly or turn the furrow on edge to be exposed to the frost, and the condition of the ground and the depth of the roots must determine which is the best plan to follow. ' ' In fighting quack grass it is well to remember that it has a few vulnerable points, that its roots, more than most other plants, are weakened by freezing, and especially when they are exposed in loose dirt. We do not mean by this that late fall rough plowing will destroy quack grass, but it is only a means of keeping it in subjection, and reducing its vitality as a preliminary to its ultimate eradication, by intensive cultivation or by the use of smother crops, such as millet, buck- wheat or hemp. Quack grass roots do not thrive as well in loose dirt as in a compact soil. This being the case some of our farmers begin early in the spring stirring the ground with a four shovel 96 QUACK GRASS. com cultivator, and continue to go over the ground about once a week until the last of June or first of July, then sow to millet or buckwheat. This system in conjunction with the late fall rough plowing is a plan quite generally followed by our best Canadian farmers, but please bear in mind that this deep cultivation would not be advisable where an attempt was being made to smother the quack grass roots by extremely deep plowing." The Iowa, North Dakota and Minnesota Experiment Stations have issued bulletins on the subject of weed eradication which are of service to farmers in studying the eradication of quack grass and other weeds. A few government bulletins may also be obtained for the asking. A FEW STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE EFFICIENCY OF MR. CRANE'S METHOD. 98 QUACK GRASS. STATE OF MINNESOTA FARMERS' INSTITUTE St. Paul, Minn., May 25, 1909. To Whom it May Concern: On Nov. 3, 1908, I visited the farm of Mr. P. B. Crane, at Long Lake, Minn., and went care- fully over all his fields. I again visited his farm on May 21, 1909, and went carefully over the same fields. One field that grew wheat in 1908, and is now seeded to speltz, shows absolutely no signs of any quack grass. This field is said to have been badly infested with quack grass and was treated in 1907. A field from which a crop of quack grass hay was cut in 1908, was plowed August 1st and treated the balance of the season, and is now being planted to com ; we were tmable to find any live quack grass in this field. I have no doubt of Mr. Crane's ability to eradicate quack grass. A. D. WILSON, Superintendent of Minnesota Farmers' In- stitutes. QUACK GRASS. 99 TURNHAM & TALBERT railroad contractors Long Lake, Minn., Jan. 27, 1910. To Whom It May Concern : Being a neighbor of Mr. Crane's and having some witch grass on my farm, am naturally very much interested in his system of cultivation, as I beheve this is one of the hardest problems the farmers of this community have to contend with. On examining the soil after witch grass has been killed, I find it to be in as good condition as clover sod that has been broken up, and the com in his crib this year certainly testifies to the value of the soil. Have just taken a trip through the com belt of Iowa and I saw no com that could compete, in all ways, with the com Mr. Crane has raised on this same land he has re- deemed from witch grass. Others have failed on one or two acres while by his system hundreds of acres can be easily reclaimed and as a means of fertilization his system is unequaled. His discovery will be worth many dollars to farmers in our vicinity and is brought within the means of all. Mr. Crane is certainly entitled to great credit and his achievement in this line should be recog- nized by the public. GEO. A. TURNHAM, Chairman of Supervisors, Township of Orono. 100 QUACK GRASS. MINNESOTA EDUCATIONAL ASSOCI- ATION J. M. GUISE, Correaponding Secretary St. Paui., Minn., May 24, 1909. To Those Wishing to Rid Themselves of Quack Grass: That Mr. P. B. Crane of Long Lake, Minn., is able to destroy permanently, quack in its worst form, has been demonstrated to my entire satis- faction. Living a neighbor to Mr. Crane, I have watched his work with interest and must confess with some incrediility at first. Last summer I examined fields in which he had used his method of cultivation and foimd them looking like a garden, where formerly they were perfect mats of quack. One field which had been treated in the sum- mer of 1907 was seeded to wheat in 1908 and last Fall when I examined this field there was no sign of quack. This spring, just yesterday, when I examined it, I fotmd a good crop of speltz growing on this field and not a single spear of quack has put in an appearance, showing that the ground had been effectively cleaned of the quack. Another field from which a crop of quack grass was cut for hay in July of last summer, was treated and when examined last fall was fotmd QUACK GRASS. 101 free from any living quack. This spring this field is planted to corn and a very careful examina- tion failed to disclose a single spear of Uving quack. If Mr. Crane is able to accomplish such effective results on a farm that was infested as badly as I knew his to be, I see no reason why the same method of treatment should not prove equally effective any place that it is put in operation. I believe Mr. Crane's method, which he has worked out after long experimenting, will prove a boon to the many farmers in Minnesota who are fighting against this pest. Very respectfully yours, JOHN M. GUISE. 102 QUACK GRASS. SAMELS BROS. MANUFACTURERS OF BUTTER Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 19, 1910. To Whom it May Concern: This is to certify that I have personally called on Mr. P. B. Crane, of Long Lake, Minn., in June, and it so happened that he was break- ing a piece of quack grass land the day that I called on him; this gave me a chance to see the grass before it was tmned over. I again called on him in September to examine the same field, and found that he had made a complete eradication of the quack grass in this field. I also examined several other pieces of land that he had treated, and was unable to find any quack grass in any field that had been treated, while there was plenty of the quack grass in the ad- joining fields. I am fully convinced that Mr. Crane has the right method and the right prepara- tions, and I bought enough compound for 20 acres. I have treated my land and have every reason to believe that the quack grass has been killed. Yours respectfully, W. H. SAMELS. QUACK GRASS. 103 THE DAKOTA FARMER PROF. THOS. SHAW, Associate Editor Aberdeen, S. D., Oct. 5, 1909. To Ai,iv Whom it May Concern: This is to certify that I visited the farm of Mr. P. B. Crane near Long Lake, Minn., on Aug. 28th, 1909. Mr. Crane showed me groimd that was plowed up on May 21st to the depth of|7 inches. It had been mowed for quack grass hay for four years previously. It was treated on May 20th with a spray that Mr. Crane has dis- covered and which he uses once on the quack before it is plowed. This ground was subse- quently double disked five times. I could not find a blade of Hving grass on it, though I searched carefully above and below the surface. The roots were plentifully present below the surface, but they were all dead. I examined other fields that Mr. Crane had treated in previous years, and not a blade of the quack was to be found on them. The method followed by Mr. Crane is certainly effective. I am watching, with interest, his experiments in killing quack at different seasons. He has never failed thus far in destroying every plant in the fields where he has tmdertaken the work of eradication. THOMAS SHAW. 104 QUACK GRASS. W. W. CARR & SONS GENERAL MERCHANTS Crystal. Bay, Minn., Feb. 5, 1910. To The Pubuc: We are pleased to state that Mr. P. B. Crsne has been a neighbor of ours for a number of years, in fact, his farm is just across the coimty road from ours, so we have had a good opportimity to watch his progress upon his matted quack grass fields since he purchased the property. His progress seemed very slow and almost ineffective for several years, but since 1908 he has had the quack grass corralled, for on his fields that were solid beds of quack grass for the last 30 years and worthless, he is now raising just as fine crops as any one in the state of Minnesota. His eradica- tion of quack grass, imder his methods of killing, is" wonderful and permanent, and it will bring back into use many of the imclaimed rxres of our state. Ver}' truly, W. W. CARR & SONS. QUACK GRASS. 105 THE CITY NATIONAL BANK W. J. MOORE, President Tipton, Iowa, Aug. 10, 1909. To Whom This May Concern: This is to certify that I have recently visited the farm of P. D. Crane near Long Lake, Minn., I have examined his fields now imder cultivation, and find his method of eradicating quack grass to be aU that he claims for it. I believe it to be the only solution known at the present time to thoroughly destroy quack grass effectively. Respectfully, W. J. MOORE. Long Lake, Minn., May 24, 1909. To Whom it May Concern: This is to certify that I have this day re-ex- amined the fields en which my friend Peter B. <^rane killed quack grass during the summer of 1908 and cannot find a spear of this kind of grass and I believe that he has thoroughly eradicated jt root and branch. I am convinced that his system is a success. Very tndy yours, A. W. PAGE. 106 QUACK GRASS. LAW OFFICES OF W. L. HURSH Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 19, 1910. To Whom it May Concern: I reside at Long Lake, Minnesota, about a mile and a half from the forty acre farm of P. B. Crane. I have been familiar with the con- dition of the Crane farm for the last twenty- five years, and during all that time until within the last few years, this farm has been thoroughly polluted . with Quack Grass, so much so that it was almost impossible to raise a paying crop on any part of it, while parts of it were so matted with the Quack Grass that nothing could be grown. I have been watching Mr. Crane's experi- ments for several years past and have been upon the farm at different times to see what progress he was making, as I had some Quack Grass land of my own. For a number of years he made very little progress, but during the seasons of 1908 and 1909, he thoroughly cleaned out the several tracts that he worked on. I examined part of his farm in the fall of 1908 and found no Quack Grass in a field where in the spring there had been nothing but Quack Grass. I examined this field QUACK GRASS. 107 again in the fall of 1909 and there was no Quack Grass. At the same time I examined other fields which in 1908 were full of Quack Grass, and was unable to find any Quack Grass roots. Mr. Crane has certainly hit on the right method of eradicating Quack Grass as he has turned the most worthless farm in our neighborhood into one of the best cultivated tracts, free from weeds and Quack Grass, in the country. Under his direction and following his sug- gestions I have completely eradicated Quack Grass from two acres of land at my home, which was so taken by Quack Grass that nothing else would grow on it. Quack Grass can be eradicated with the ordinary farm tools within one season if Mr. Crane's method of procedure is carefully followed. Yours truly, W. L. HURSH. 108 QUACK GRASS. C. D. LYDIARD Dealer in GENERAL MERCHANDISE Long Lake, Minn., Nov. 30, 1909. To Whom it May Concern: This is to certify that I have been acquainted with Mr. P. B. Crane for a number of years and have known the farm on which he Hves for over thirty years, and can truthfully say that when Mr. Crane bought this farm it was the worst bimch of quack grass that I had ever seen. Mr. Crane went after this with a determina- tion to kill it out, but, for seven years the quack still had the best of the situation. From that time on it has gradually disappeared, field by field until today he has a reclaimed quack grass farm. Cleaner fields or more perfect condition of soil I have never seen in any state, and the crops that this reclaimed quack grass land produces are far superior to that produced by the virgin soil. Some of this land has been tilled for over fifty years, and not a particle of fertilizer has ever been appUed, and no person would give one dol- lar per acre for the use of it. This season it QUACK GRASS. 109 produced one hundred and six baskets of com to the acre on one field and 40 bushels of speltz on another, proving that quack grass is a grand good restorative to the soil. Mr. Crane is writing up his system of eradica- tion in book form. Every "quack grass" farmer should get a book and know how to re- claim quack grass lands. Very sincerely yours, C. D. LYDIARD, P. M. 110 QUACK GRASS, STATE BANK OF LONG LAKE ROY H. JEWETT, Cashier Long Lake, Minn., Nov. 30, 1909. To Whom it May Concern: This is to certify that I am well acquainted with Mr. P. B. Crane and am very familiar with the condition of his farm on which he has been eradicating quack grass. I can truthfully say that his farm was the worst mat of quack grass that I have ever seen. Mr. Crane has thoroughly demonstrated the fact that quack grass can be eradicated. He has done this work himself, and it is just wonder- ful to see the reformation that he has worked on his farm. Where nothing but quack grass grew in 1908 he raised 106 baskets of com to the acre this season, and not a particle of fertilizer was ap- plied to this field. Today, his fields are as clean and free from quack grass as any garden ever was, and the soil is as mellow and rich as any soil could possibly be. Mr. Crane predicts 70 bushels of com to the acre next season and it certainly looks as though he would get it. His method of eradicating quack is practical, and any and every farmer can attain same re- sults by applying Crane's system of cultivation QUACK GRASS. Ill which he is now writing and will have in book form so that every tiller of the soil can have one, and with this in his possession can proceed to reclaim his quack grass lands. This means many millions of dollars to the quack infested districts of the United States. Respectfully submitted, ROY H. JEWETT, Cashier. 112 QUACK GRASS. C. B. HUSCHKE MANAGER Morgan, Minn., Feb. 2, 1910. Mr. p. B. Crane: Dear Sir: I just had a letter from Mr. C. O. Gilfillan, telling me that you wished to know what success we had with the Quack Grass last season. I must say we did not give same a fair trial. I could not get the team onto the land because we had to hire a team, but this season we will try and have a team on hand of our own, but this field might be better than we look for when spring opens up; as yet, can't say. We are going at it in the spring again on another field and try and follow your directions to the letter. Yours respectfully, C. O. GILFILLAN. By C. B. Buschke, Agt. QUACK GRASS. 118 Lake WitsoN, Minn., Feb. 7, 1910. P. B. Crane, Esq., Long Lake, Minn.: Dear Sir: Yours of the 25th to hand and glad to hear from you once more and that you are having such heavy crops on your reclaimed quack land. It seems to me that one of my letters must have miscarried, or been lost in the mails. I continued the cultivation of my patch until the middle of October before I put in the com plow to tear up the sod. I had the most favorable weather in September for my work I had had all the season. After turning up the sods I still found a few live roots in three dif- ferent patches; these patches were in the wettest part of the field and did not get as much work as the other part of the field on accotmt of so much rain. I cultivated the whole piece once each way and where the sod was heaviest in the wet places, twice each way, and when I examined the field just before it froze up I still found a few live roots, but I had to hunt for them pretty close by taking a piece of the sod in my hand up care- fully to find the small pieces that still had a lit- tle life left, but am perfectly satisfied. If I had had a favorable season I would have had a clean field. I have fifteen cans of the mixture left yet and will try another piece this spring, so I 114 QUACK GRASS. will have to get the sprayer shipped down here again in the spring as I would like to start about the tenth of May or just as soon as com is planted. In your letter of 25th inst. you said you were getting out some new printed matter, and would like to have me give my experience with your treatment. I have given you a true statement, in the above and don't think it will be any good to be used in your pubhcation. I would also say in regard to your treatment in this neighborhood, the neighbors have not taken any in the same as far as I can see. I never had one visit my field all season; of course, when in town, there were lots of inquiries after Mr. Quack and if he was dead yet, but I never heard one of them say they would try a piece next year, and some of them think that I was an easy mark to be caught in such a scheme. Hoping to hear from you soon and wishing you success in kiUing Quack, Yours respectfully, WILLIAM SCOTT. STANDARD AGRICULTURAL BOOKS Published and Sold By WEBB PUBLISHING COMPANY, ST, PAUL, MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL. POPULAR FRUIT GROWING, by Samuel B. Green. This book covers the factors In successful fruit growing, with list of fruits adapted to each state; orchard protection, injurious insects, diseases injurious to fruits, spraying, harvesting, propagation of fruit plants, etc., etc. It is prepared es- pecially for beginners and as a text book for schools and colleges. 300 pages, 120 illustrations. Price, postpaid. .$1.00 AMATEUR FRUIT GROWING, by Samuel B. Green, a practical guide to the growing of fruit for home use and the market, written with special reference to a cold climate. Illustrated. 134 pp. Price, 12 mo Paper, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents. VEGETABLE GARDENING, by Samuel B. Green. 10th edition. 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A. D. Shamel 50 Cereals in America. T, F. Hunt 1.75 Alfalfa, Book of. F. D. Coburn 2.00 WEBB PUBLISHING COMPANY, ST, PAUL, MINNESOTA AGRICULTURE FOR YOUNG FOLKS BY A. D. WILSON A book on Agriculture for the beginner. It deals largely with common farm practices, rather than with scientific principles. Many of the complex problems encountered in the management of the farm are discussed in this book with a view to simplifying them, so that anyone may easily understand the principles involved. This book will prove valuable to farm managers, by enabling them to put into practice some of the better methods of soil and live stock management, and to clearly see the aspects of farming as a business. Each subject is handled in a thoroughly practical manner so that the principles taught can be applied to nearly every farm. It is compiled in simple easy-to-understand language and the subjects subdivided in a manner that avoids every possibility of confusion. A thorough guide for the beginner — a help to the ex- perienced farm manager — and indispensable to the rural school or any elementary course in agriculture. ;, Cloth bound, fully illustrated, over 300 pages, over 100 illustrations; attractively compiled and printed on high grade paper. Price $1.00 Postpaid Webb Publishing Co. ST. PAUL, MINN.