246 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and appearance of the manufactured flour." They also injure the 

 looks of the cleaned grain. To exterminate it no seeds should be 

 sown with the grain. If this cannot be avoided, the plants should 

 be pulled as soon as they are about a foot high, or at least before 

 they go to seed. 



19. Common Chickweed — Stcllaria media. 

 Too well known to need describing. 

 A very common foreigner from Europe, 

 found in moist, cultivated and waste 

 grounds, especially where it is moist 

 and shady. It is very hardy, remaining 

 green and even flowering during the 

 winter months. Small birds and poultry 

 eat the seeds as well as the whole herb. 

 The latter may be boiled for the table 

 like spinach. Frequent underdraining 

 and cultivation will exterminate it. 



Common Chickweed. 



20. Moitse-Eak Chickwked — Cerastiun viscosum. Perennial. Stein six to fifteen inches 

 long, bairy, spreading. Leaves about an inch long, sessile, rather broad at the base. 

 Mowers forked-uinbellate, rather crowded. 



A Avorthless stranger from Europe, common everywhere, in 

 highly cultivated grass-lands as well as in neglected fields and 

 pastures. 



21. Tares. Corn Spurrey. Devil's Flax — Sprrgula eirvmsis. Annvnl. Sum nhr>\it& 

 foot high, erect or spreading, smooth. Leaves one to two inches long, numerous, thread- 

 like, in whorls Flowers white. 



A foreigner from Europe, where it is cultivated as a forage plant, 

 sheep and cattle being very fond of it. It is said to greatly enrich 

 the milk of cows ; and mutton fed on it is considered preferable to 

 that fed on turnips. " liens eat Spurrey greedily, and it is sup- 

 posed to make them lay a great number of eggs." The seeds of 

 Spergula saliva are large, and smooth, and aflbrd on expression a 

 good lain}) oil. The flour obtained l'n»in tliem is frequently used 

 in Norway and Gothland for edible purposes, and when mixed with 

 wheat or rye makes a healthful food. Witli us the Spurrey is con- 

 sidered only a pernicious weed, found in grain fields and cultivated 

 grounds. 



22. Cari-et M'eed — MnUwjn verticillnia. Annunl. Stem prostrate, branching in all 

 directions, forming patches a foot or more in diameter. Leaves spatulate, clustered in 



