SOCIETY OF NORTHEEN ILLINOIS. 247 



missionary work may be necessary. The advantage then of neat 

 highways, well grassed, free from weeds, lined by rows of shade trees 

 and bordered by neat fences, being so apparent, is it not worthy of 

 some exertion by us as individuals, and also as a society, to endeavor 

 to promote a concerted effort in our respective localities, to attain 

 these results? 



SOME OF OUR WEEDS AND NOXIOUS PLANTS. 

 BY GUY A. BEYANT, PRINCETON. 



To elaborate very extensively on this subject, would consume 

 more time than you can well spare me, so I will touch but lightly on 

 a few of the pests that infest nearly every agricultural district, and 

 if by so doing I can awaken an interest among you on this subject; 

 I shall consider my efforts not in vain. A weed is one of those 

 troublesome pests which are most aptly termed, "a plant out of 

 place." With the greater part of our weeds, this definition will 

 apply in more than one sense, as the majority of them are foreigners. 

 The morals of society are made up of good and evil, and where any 

 spot is neglected by the good, the evil is sure to creep in. It is the 

 same in Nature. She abhors a vacuum, and will do all in her power 

 to dispense with that state of things. It may be truly said that all 

 nature is at war with herself. Here, there is not always " a survival 

 of the fitted," but of the strongest. Idleness is ever the mother of 

 vice; and the farmer who is not energetic enough to fight these nox- 

 ious pests, which are the vice of Nature, will soon find that they have 

 possession of his farm and have come to stay. Possession is nine 

 points in law, and it counts fully as much in Nature. 



It is surprising in how much greater numbers these pests are 

 gaining ground on our farmers here in Illinois. As our land has 

 grown older and the soil lost much of its former fertility, weeds have 

 multiplied very rapidly, and the time is not far distant when every 

 intelligent farmer will find that his land will deteriorate in value, 

 just as long as he does not use more vigorous measures to annihilate 

 the weeds that grow upon it. Many have already seen the necessity 

 of such action, but there are in every neighborhood slovenly farmers, 

 with calloused opinions on that subject, who raise enough weeds to 

 keep a good stock of seeds in that locality. Here it is concerted 

 action that is wanted, to accomplish the greatest good. In this, as in 

 every good work, there will be a few to hang back and laugh, but 

 persevere and it will not be long before they will see the wisdom of 

 your course and gladly join you in furthering the work. 



A well-known writer on this subject, says: '' In some European 

 countries a man may sue his neighbor for neglecting to destroy the 

 weeds on his farm, or may employ help to do it at the farmer's 

 expense." I think it would be a great blessing to have some such 



