22 



Fig. 2. 



Chess, Cheat or Wheat Thief. 



Bromiis secalinus (L). 



A weed naturalized from Europe. It is a winter annual, with 

 fibrous roots and rough coarse leaves. It has large spikelets, dark 

 green in color, of characteristic shape, and grows from three to four 

 feet high. 



Many look upon Chess as degenerated wheat, because it appears 

 among fall wheat that has been winter-killed. This idea is erroneous 

 and without foundation. The fact is that Chess will mature seed 

 under adverse conditions, even thouijh the plant be only a few inches 

 high. The seed possesses great vitality, and is often found in wheat 

 and rye. 



Chess is most commonly found among wheat and rye. 



The flour made from it is dark -colored and has narcotic principles. 

 Care in the selection of seed grain and careful cultivation, tending to 

 prevent the maturing of the seeds, are the chief remedies. The plant- 

 ino- of a crop that can be harvested before the Chess matures is a good 

 plan in badly infested localities. An average plant produces about 

 1,000 seeds. 



Time of flowering, June. Time of seeding, July. 



" Chess is a typical plant belonging to the genus Bromus. Wheat 

 belongs to the genus Triticam. Chess will produce Chess and only 

 Chess, and a seed of wheat cannot be sown to produce Chess, and 

 Chess cannot produce wheat under the most favorable conditions of 

 growth. 



" In instances where parts of a plant, apparently a combination 

 of Chess and wheat were so united as to seem but one plant, close ex- 

 amination proved them to be parts of separate plants, and that the 

 apparent union was not real." 



Eradwation. Avoid fall sown crops, and follow as far as prac- 

 ticable the same method as is recommended for Mustard. In this 

 case, however, the meadow will require special attention, and any 

 weeds that appear must be removed. If many weeds appear in the 

 meadow, it will be better to break it up and follow the rotation sug- 

 Sfested under Fox-tail. 



