16 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



hibit lamentable ignorance concerning common farm weeds. 

 This condition may be due in part to the unfortunate manner 

 in which the general study of systematic botany has fallen 

 into a state of neglect. Had the county agent who sent in the 

 specimen of alfalfa learned to recognize the plants by their bo- 

 tanical characteristics, it is doubtful if he would have made so 

 foolish and embarrassing a mistake. Perhaps the old-fash- 

 ioned method of dissecting flowers in the laboratory can be 

 made more attractive and profitable to the average student by 

 a field study of the weed flora and approved methods of eradi- 

 action and control. 



It is suggested, then, that men in agricultural courses should 

 make an effort to learn to recognize the common weeds and 

 familiarize themselves with the methods by which trouble- 

 some'weeds may be controlled. A great deal of this knowledge 

 can be gained during under-graduate days by collecting speci- 

 mens during hikes into the country and by identifying them 

 and becoming familiar with their characteristics. 



A knowledge of the farm flora may prove an asset in almost 

 any field of endeavor that the trained agriculturist may select, 

 from practical farming to teaching or demonstration work. 

 For example, a specimen of a plant received some time ago 

 from a college trained farmer with the statement that the 

 sender was acquainted with most of the wild plants growing 

 upon his land, but the specimen sent was new to him. It 

 turned out to be the black knapweed or star thistle (Cen- 

 taiirea nigra), 3. plant that is not common in the United States 

 but considered extremely troublesome in Europe. The sender 

 was advised to destroy immediately the few plants upon his 

 farm before seeds were matured. This was done and no fur- 

 ther trouble was experienced. It is entirely reasonable to 

 believe that his knowledge of plants enabled the farmer to 



