180 On Star of Bethlehem. 
rendered worthless by this agriculturally vile plant. 
Botanically 1 find it a favorite with our highly intel- 
ligent member, professor Barton ; who looks only at 
its good qualities ; with which I am willing to dispense, 
if it could be entirely rooted out of our country. I 
know nothing but paring and burning, that will subdue 
this foe. This I should have done; but my public en- 
gagements, at the proper season abstructed me from 
such employment. This practice being unknown here 
I wished personally to superintend it; to prevent (as 
much as in me lay) failure exciting prejudices against it. 
In the spring of 1809, I determined not to be outdone; 
and took the resolution to hand weed an acre of the 
worst part of my field. I turned in the plough ; and had 
aman, to lead boys, in hand weeding after the plough 
and harrow; but could not get through above half the 
acre. From this I collected, in repeated ploughings and 
harrowings, at least one hundred and fifty bushels of 
bulbs; estimated on a computation of the loads of a 
measured cart body. I should have persevered; but 
the boys grew tired and abandoned the task. 
Until my disaster, I had no idea of the extent to 
which this destroyer has spread it ravages. I hear of it 
from numerous quarters of the old seitlements of our 
state. It has even been zdulged, in grass grounds and 
meadows. Those who admired its insidiously modest 
and bloomy whiteness, did not perceive the ruimous 
pleasure they enjoyed. It exhausts far beyond garkek ; 
though it does not nauseate the crops. Meadows and 
ficlds, once fertile and productive, are rendered by it 
barren and worthless. I earnestly wish that our farmers 
would take the alarm, in due time to arrest the progress 
