216 



Purslane, "Pusley" {Portulaca oleracea.) 



The red fleshy leaves and stems of this persistent weed are well known to every 

 gardener. The tiny yellow flowers which appear in July, and are of the same form 

 as those of the lovely garden Portulaca, are followed by pods filled with minute black 

 seeds. This is a very difficult plant to kill, owing to its succulent nature. It must 

 be hoed up very lightly and constantly when it first appears. If hoed heavily some 

 of the plants will be covered by the earth, and will soon take root again. 



Common Rag-wort, " Stinking Willie" {Senecio Jacobada.) 



I have had considerable and very interesting correspondence with the Rev. 

 Father Burke, of Alberton, Prince Edward Island, concerning this plant, which is 

 a perennial groundsel. It has been introduced from Europe into the Maritime 

 Provinces and has been credited with causing a mysterious disease amongst cattle. 

 It is a perennial, but does not seem to spread much from the root. It matures 

 however, many downy seeds, by which it is becoming rapidly disseminated. The 

 following interesting account of this plant appears in the Prince Edward Island 

 Agriculturist : — 



" For 3'ears aback a dirty, yellow weed of rapid growth and extensive fibrous 

 root has been spreading with wonderful rapidity in the western part of the county. 

 Ak far as can be ascertained, it was accidentally brought to this country from Ireland 

 by an old settler in a bed tick, who took up land near Tignish. From May, till the 

 frost kills out all vegetation, its rank leaves and ugly yellow head, meet the eye 

 everywhere from the place whence it started as far east as Conway station. Every 

 year it makes a stage of many miles, and at this rate before long will waive its 

 unsightly head from one end of our little province to the other. Up to this time it- 

 has been known in the west by the name Baughlan, which its importer gave it, and 

 which it no doubt was known by in that part of the Emei-ald Isle whence it came. 

 But now it turns out to be no less a pest then the European Hag-wort, one of the 

 most troublesome weeds the farmers of the other continent have to deal with." Not 

 knowing its name and alarmed at its rapid spread up west, the Rev. Father Burke 

 enclosed a plant (root, leaves, flowers and seeds), to Mr. Fletcher, of the Central 

 Experimental Farm, and has had the following reply: 



" Rev. A. E. Burke, P.P., 



" Alberton, P. E. I. 



" My Dear Sir, — I am in receipt of your two favours. The yellow weed con- 

 cerning which you previously wrote is Senecio Jacobcea, the 'Common Rag-wort' 

 of Euiope, whence it was imported into the Maiitime Provinces. It is a common 

 and troublesome weed in many places throughout Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 

 Principal Mackay, now of Halifax, says that it is supposed to be injurious to cattle, 

 and I know this was a common belief in England years ago; but as a matter of fact 

 I never saw cattle touch it." 



In a late issue of the same paper a correspondent, "Farmer John," writes that 

 this plant is well known in Pictou county, and it is stated that the majority of the 

 farmers there believe that to it and it alone are they indebted for what is known as 

 " the Pictou cattle disease." "An investigation, however, was made by some of the 

 leading veterinaries of America, and they concluded that the weed had nothing to 

 do with the disease, and to prove this, cattle were kept on it for some time." 



" Neveitheless, I for one — backed up by the opinion of hundreds of others who 

 are interested — cannot help the conviction that it has to do with causing trouble 

 amongst our cows. One thing sure, where there is none of the weed there is no 

 disease, and after the weed has made itself noticeable in a section the cattle disease 

 follows. So if "Billy" should happen by any chance to be innocent he certainly 

 keeps very bad company, and every effort should be made to stamp him out com- 

 pletely, or it will only be a questiar- of time when it will overrun the whole island. 



