WEEDS OF MAINE. 281 



are worthless weeds, and one which is thought by some persons to 

 be the most pernicious of all weeds — this is the Couch-grass, [Triti- 

 cum repens). 



113. Cheat or Chess — Bromus secalinus. Annual. Stem or culm smooth, two to four 

 feet high. Leaves rather narrow, six to twelve inches long, rough. Flowers in a spread- 

 ing, drooping panicle, 



A partly naturalized weed from Europe, too common in grain 

 fields— wheat especially — and in waste places. That Chess is 

 degenerate wheat is a vulgar error, and we presume that there are 

 few who entertain such an idea in the present state of knowledge. 

 Wheat belongs to an entirely different genus from that of chess. 

 It would be much more reasonable to consider Twitch or Witch- 

 grass degenerate wheat, for they are very nearly related, belonging 

 to the same genus. Several years ago, when Cheat was first 

 introduced from Europe, it was known as Willard's Chess, and 

 fabulous prices were offered for the seed, but it was not long 

 before the true character of the plant was found out and the people 

 became aware that they had been doubly "cheated," for the grass 

 was both too meagre in quantity and too poor in quality for cultiva- 

 tion, and they had been encouraging the growth of a troublesome 

 weed. 



To exterminate Cheat, simply sow clean seed, and keep the 

 waste grounds clear of the plant. The seed of Cheat is much 

 smaller than that of wheat, from which it is readily separated by 

 the modern fan-mills, of which Nutting's is said to be the best. 



114. Couch Grass — Quitch Grass — Quack Grass — Quick Grass — Twitch Grass — 

 Witch Grass — Dog Grass — Chandler Grass — Triticum repens. Perennial. Culm two 

 to five feet high. Leaves three to six, flat, lance-linear. Flowers in spikes, as seen in 

 the accompanying cut. 



"This is the most- catholic of all grasses in its tastes and habits, 

 in so much that scarcely a garden or field, pasture or roadside, be 

 the soil what it may, which is not occupied by it to a greater or 

 less extent ; and if pei*mitted, its long creeping roots — or more 

 properly, rhizomes (under ground stems) — pushing in every direc- 

 tion, will soon have full possession, and monopolize all the plant 

 food within its reach." — {Goodale.) 



Besides the long list of names above given for this grass, are 

 Quake Grass and Squitch Grass. As Couch Grass is the name 

 most generally used, we will adopt it in preference to all the 

 others, which are merely local. The leaves of the Couch Grass, 

 and those of one other species, are eaten by dogs for their medic- 



