Dec, 1900] Kellerman— White Heath Aster. 19 



and wiry and this gives the local name '' Steelweed," a common 

 designation in Adams County and adjoining regions. It is said by 

 some, however, that this name is given it "because the flowers are 

 the color of bright steel." Another name frequently applied in the 

 localities mentioned is "Bee-plant" for reasons suggested in the 

 name itself, and still another is " Stickweed," for which I could 

 learn no explanation. Other common names which Britton enum- 

 erates are Frost-weed, Michaelmas Daisy, Farewell Summer, "White 

 Bosemary, Dog-fennel, Mare's-tail, and Scrub-bush. 



Though complaint against this plant is universal in some sec- 

 tions, it is not, I think, well founded in all cases. It has some 

 merits now and then acknowledged by those who are close observers. 

 The allegations pro and con may be summarized as follows: 



First, the statement is made that it is " driving out every other 

 grass" and "invading" the whole country. It is certainly more 

 abundant than it was before the country was cleared and cultivated ; 

 yet after all but little of it is seen in good pastures and vigorous 

 meadows, and none at all in ground that is under thorough and con- 

 stant cultivation. It has not the aggressiveness possessed by some 

 of our weeds, but it does quickly take possession of neglected and 

 fallow ground. It does not spread extensively or rapidly by under- 

 ground stems as do some of the Compositae. It has simply short 

 rootstocks for this purpose. Its mode of multiplication by this 

 means is illustrated in the figures shown in Plate 3. These are from 

 photographs taken late in November, and indicate the preparation 

 fciie plant makes for the next season's work. The specimens num- 

 bered 1 and 2 had been mowed to the ground during the summer. 

 But this instead of killing the plants stimulated their propensity to 

 vegetative multiplication. The result was therefore the opposite of 

 what the farmer intended. Figure 3 shows a plant undisturbed dur- 

 ing the growing period, and its energies active and latent were 

 almost entirely exhausted in producing flowers and seed. Let the 

 plants alone then rather than shear their tops, and the sooner will 

 they exhaust themselves. 



It is true, as the figures plainly suggest, that this Aster is not a 

 difficult one to eradicate. While the roots are numerous, they are 

 not long; and even the shallowest plowing or ordinary cultivation 

 will effectually destroy the plant. As to multiplication by seed 

 germination, it needs simply to be remembered that good or even 

 fair cultivation of the soil will prevent this weed from growing, and 

 that many si^ecies of weeds will get in old meadows and pastures as 

 rapidly as the cultivated grasses are killed by excessive grazing or 

 the casualties of season and climate. 



In the second place the weed is charged with the heinous crime 

 of " killing stock." Thorough inquiry in different localities estab- 

 lished the fact that this plant, eaten to considerable extent late in 



