264 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



most thorough manner." It is a law in France, and a most excel- 

 lent one it is too, that a man may sue his neighbor who neglects 

 to destroy the thistles on his grounds at the proper season, or he 

 may hire it done at the other's expense. It is hoped that some 

 such law will be passed here, and rigorously enforced. We have 

 a few other species of thistle, but none of much importance com- 

 pared with the above. 



67. Common Burdock — Lappa officinalis, var. major. Root long and thick, biennial. 

 Stem two to four feet high, stout and much branched. Leaves of the root one to two feet 

 long, of a triangular shape, and light green color; stem leaves smaller, and more or less 

 ovate. Livjlucre 6ca.\e& coriaceous at the base, tipped with a spreading awl-shaped, hook- 

 pointed appendage. Flowers purple. 



A coarse homely weed, common in waste ground, by waysides, 

 and among rubbish. The herbage is very bitter, and the bruised 

 leaves are sometimes applied by nurses to the soles of the feet in 

 hysterics. The large, so called, burs of this plant often become 

 entangled in the wool of sheep, hair of horses and cattle, and in 

 the clothing. The burdock is easily eradicated by cutting off the 

 root a few inches below the surface of the ground. This should be 

 done just before the flower buds form. 



68. Succory or CiCHOur — Cichoriumhityhus. i2oo< perennial, long and tapering. Stem 

 two to three feet high, much branched. Radical leaves four to ten inches long, numerous. 

 Heads few-flowered. Flowers and rays bright blue or varying to purple. 



A well known plant, becoming quite common in some parts of 

 this State. It is a native of Europe, and is extensively cultivated 

 in Belgium, Holland and Germany. It is recommended to be cul- 

 tivated as a forage plant by some of our trans-Atlantic agricultural 

 writers. But it imparts a bad taste to the milk of cows fed upon 

 it; which of course is a great drawback to its cultivation. The 

 dried root is often used as a substitute for coffee. True lovers of 

 the beverage, however, will not be likely to substitute it for the 

 genuine article. 



69. Hawkuit.-Fall Dandelio.v — Leontodon autumnale. Perennial. Acaulesccnt. Leaves 

 more or less toothed, spreading, about six inches long. Flower stalk {scape) six to eigh- 

 teen inches high, hollow, much thickened near the flowers. Heads yellow, about one 

 inch in diameter, much resembling the Common Dandelion. 



^n introduced plant, common in many parts of the State, found 

 by the roadsides, and in grass plots. The blossoms begin to appear 

 in June and continue until the frosts. 



70. Common Dandkliox — Taraxacum Dens-leonis. Too well 

 known to need describing. The dandelion is an indigenous peren- 



