Rural School Leaflet 



1329 



source of local information will be exhausted, for not nearly so much good 

 comes to the pupil if he sends off-hand for infomiation without first having 

 studied and investigated, the problem as far as he can. Many schools 

 have taken up the study of weeds and. have found that with a little in- 

 genuity on the part of the teacher, it has become a great source of interest 

 to the pupil and of success to the school, as well as a distinct benefit to 

 the community in which the school is located. 



WEEDS FOR STUDY IN 1915-1916 



P. J. White 



BURDOCK 



Burdock is a prominent weed found in all parts of New York State. 

 It is especially common in rich land that has been neglected for a few 

 years. The dooryards of unoccupied farmhouses are often overrun with 

 it. 



Burdock belongs to that class of plants called biennials, which live 

 but two years. It spends its 

 energies the first year in be- 

 coming well established. A 

 deep, thick root is produced, 

 which bears a cluster of large 

 prominent leaves. No stem is 

 produced the first year. 



The second year the plant 

 sends up a branched stem 

 from three to six feet in 

 height. The flowers, which 

 are purple and are produced 

 in dense heads, appear during 

 July and August. These seeds 

 are ripe in September. The 

 clusters of seeds, called burs, 

 are covered with projections, 

 which end in hooks and enable 

 the seed clusters to become 

 attached to passing objects 

 and thus to become scattered. 

 The wool of sheep and the 

 tails of horses are often filled 

 with these burs. 



Burdocks may easily be destroyed during the first year by cutting 

 them with a sharp instnmient just below the surface of the ground. If 

 84 



Burdock 



