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Show trenched and continue spreading though the surface is cut up occasionally oc-casionally These weeds have taken I possession of not only valuable acres ! but fence lines, ditch banks, roads, railroad right-of-ways, until the situation sit-uation has changed from an indi-i indi-i vidua! to a community program. nrocess Some may question whether process ha, been beneficial; also, whether it has taken toe respons -Sty of the battle from the indivm-ual indivm-ual has grown slack in his own effort ef-fort as a result. Now the word comes I that the state and counties can no longer carry on the battle in a I chemical way. On Utah County Farms With . j Extension Agents j - . , T , or gaining? Are the front lines retreating from the edge of the weed patch or are they holding and again will go forward? As one travels over the farms in the state of Utah, one cannot help but be impressed with the thousands of acres of good land given to the growing of weeds. Since the beginning of agriculture in the state, some weeds have been present; certainly enough to stimulate stimu-late integrity and action. Such weeds as red -roots, pig weeds, purslane, poverty weed, dandelions, grass, etc., have become so common that they are looked upon as constant associates asso-ciates in the gardens. They have been attacked with certain procedure; proce-dure; hoed up as they came through the ground and disappeared for the season. Now there has come into the farm effort a new and more powerful, more vigorous and better organizaed enemy in the form of a perennial weed with a running root system. The roots are well en- There is a mortage, bearing a high interest rate, quietly spreading over the land and the mortgage is spreading spread-ing too rapidly. When one analyzes the progress these weeds axe making on the 1,225,000 acres of irrigated land in the state of Utah and computes com-putes the spread that starts today in the same proportion with the progress pro-gress made from the start of 10 years ago, one is led to wonder if we are losing the battle? The state and counties have recognized recog-nized this situation and made appropriations ap-propriations for chemicals to fight the weeds. The effort has been effective ef-fective on some types, but there are few cases complete ehmination that have been observed from this: These infested lands cannot De 'farmed at a profit nor can they pay ! taxes unless they are cCeaned up and I put in full production. The solution solu-tion of the problem calls for intense individual and community effo-t jn a program that will, if possible eliminate, not just control weeds. It means a program of ditch-bank treatment; probably the removal of fence lines, and clean cultivation. It is evident that a year's clean cultivation will eliminate the weeds, but with only a fraction of the land in the state under cultivation, the infestation is reaching out far beyond be-yond the cultivated areas especially along the streams, which makes the battle look to be everlasting. "WEEDS" The weed problem Is an important one and especially right now, before be-fore many of our weeds go to seed. Thru the south end of the county the farms are covered with White Top and seed prevention is about the only way to handle these large areas. Utah counties weed problems la Important that we have no finances fi-nances to fight them from the county coun-ty standpoint. It is a matter of loyalty to fight these weeds on our own farms. Director William Peterson of the U. A. C, Extension Service has an interesting article on weeds, which is given as follows: One old philosopher has said that opposing forces to one's progress are a test of one's ability and integrity to cope with life. Weeds are certainly an opposing force to successful crop production and the battle is on. Are we losing Forces must be gathered in relentless re-lentless vigilance to hold the lines and to keep at least the good, irrigated irri-gated lands of the state free from weeds and capable of clean crop production. The state , department of Agriculture Agricul-ture will help ; the Farm Bureau has a weed eradication program; the Extension Service will give its best effort, but these forces are not sufficient suffi-cient without a well-planned program pro-gram and the best effort of each individual farmer. |