18 



especially in a crop which does not allow of the frequent use of the culti- 

 vator. Farmers in Ontario should, therefore, be on the lookout for this 

 weed and destroy any specimens they may find in their fields, fence cor- 

 ners, or along the road sides. If a field is neglected until it becomes 

 seeded-, repeated plowing will be required in order to clean it. *"When 

 the plant is not more than six inches high careful plowing with a drag 

 chain from the end of the doubletrees to the plow beam, dragging back 

 so as to have every plant dragged under the furrow, with harrowing to 

 fill every crevice between the furrows will destroy every plant that cannot 

 get its leaves to the surface." 



Field Pepper Grass or Cow Cress. 

 (Lepidium campestre, Br.) 



This is a comparatively new weed in Ontario, about which many 

 enquiries have been received during the past two years. From informa- 

 tion gathered from correspondents it seems certain that it has been spread 

 as an impurity in clover seed. 



Description. Field Pepper Grass or Cow Cress is an introduced 

 annual or biennial weed belonging to the Mustard Family (Cruciferae). 

 It grows from i to 2 feet high and branches freely above. The basal 

 leaves are petioled, oblong and entire; stem leaves spear-shaped, entire or 

 slightly toothed and clasping the stem by their arrow-shaped bases. 

 Flowers are small, white or yellowish in color. The seed pods are 

 broadly ovate boat-shaped, being rounded below and hollowed out above. 

 They stand out stiffly from the stem on pedicels of about their own length. 

 The seeds are reddish brown in color, about 1-12 of an inch long, sharply 

 egg-shaped, rounded or somewhat flattened, and the surface is granular 

 and slightly scurfy. 



Eradication. Hand pull small patches. Cut clover early enough to 

 prevent seeding. Plow up badly infested fields, and put in a hoed crop for 

 one season. 



Dodder, Devil's Gut or Strangle Weed. 



(Cuscuta epithymum, Murr.) 



This weed is spreading very rapidly, as an impurity in Alfalfa and 

 clover seed. It is by no means a new weed in Ontario, but during the past 

 year has been especially abundant. Judging by the numerous samples sent 

 in for identification, and by the host of questions asked concerning it, more 

 information is required as to its appearance, habit of growth and method 

 of control. It is therefore discussed rather fully here. 



^Bulletin No. 26, Iowa Agr. College Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. 



