54 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



Plants that run around the margin are Stachys, Tcuoium, Aristolochia 

 Clciiiaiitis, while feeble plants of Linaria Linaria, though in rich earth,, 

 failed utterly last season. We had to change the soil and put in new 

 plants to keep the stock good. They are impatient of restraint and want 

 to ramble about at will, as plants almost seem to have a will. 



The following twelve perennials among others in the garden have failed 

 more or less or died, especially in the middle of the patch: 



Boltonia astcroides, Corenp-iis Jcmccolala, Glecoma hederacea, HeliantMis 

 gigantens, Ilcliantlius grosse-serratus, Maj-nbium vulgarc, Rudbeckia speciosa, 

 Scrophularia Marylandica, Spaihi/ema fa'tida, Vvularia perfoliata, Viola 

 lanceolata, Vleckia ( Lophantlitis) nepeioidts. 



Here permit me to quote a little from a paper presented at the recent 

 meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science: 



"It is very instructive to note how much better many of the weeds thrive wherr 

 they get away from the spots where they have been confined for two to six years. 

 Seedlings of Dutvra Tatula are larger in the bed of PlantXKjo major than they are- 

 in their own bed where their parents grew. After three years the plantain men- 

 tioned has nearly run out. and Amarantlius alhiis has entirely disappeared. Che- 

 nopodium albion grew finely for a couple of years, but of late has made a small dis- 

 play, and has suffered from the attacks of insects and probably from other causes. 



Paniciim Crus-guJJi behaved like Chcnopodhtm, and has had a hard time of it, need- 

 ing considerable attention. Barnyard grass likes the best that can be got, and If 

 it can't get that, will go into a rapid decline. 



The seedlings of Polygonum Perfiicaiia are feeble this year and are overtopped 

 by intruders from adjoining plots, such as ragweed and prickly lettuce. 



Chenopodiiim filaucum doesn't seem very persistent for a plant that ranks among 

 the weeds, but it shies off from its home ground as though searching for fresh 

 fields. Thlaspi arvense is very feeble, and, like the last, seems to be hunting for a 

 soft place that just suits it. Pohjgomnn uvicnlare grows near the foot-path about the 

 doors of dwellings, and thrives with abuse, seeming to enjoy tramping upon by 

 feet, but in my plots, I have difficulty in growing it. Insects prey upon it; rust 

 causes it to dwindle and disappear. Motherwort grows rank, four feet high near the 

 barnyard fence, and the flo^vers are covered with bees, but when kept several years 

 in the same bed it goes off into the sulks as though neglected. In moist, rich and. 

 mellow soil Cyperus cscukutiis grows luxuriantly for a couple of years, and after that 

 makes little display, as though tired out and pining for something new." 



Almost every one has seen or heard about fairy rings often seen in 

 lawns or old pastures. Here some species of fungi, such as Marasmius 

 oreoides and others, spread out a foot or so each year, more or less, in the 

 form of a circle, killing or weakening the grass where it grows. These 

 plants seem to require a fresh jjlace for growth each year, 



Marsilia gnadrifolia and the wild rice (Zizcmia aquatica) have often 

 been driven from the pond to the extreme margin and sometimes above 

 the edge of the water by some insect, crustacean or snail. Beyond the 

 reach of these enemies they thrive well from j'ear to year. During the 

 winter of 1894-95 the ice on the pond was solid and of unusual thickness 

 for many weeks. The loss of air, with the cold or something else, caused 

 the death of all the tish and most likely many of the other small animals. 

 The following summer Marsilia and wild rice spread out and grew in the 

 water as never before nor since, for their enemies had been killed. Pringle, 

 in notes on Mexico, speaks of collecting grasses beneath the thorn bushes,, 

 where they had not been reached by cattle. 



