STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



473 



hairs), which are hooked, jls sliowii in Fig. 4, is enabled to 

 cling to the fleece of animals and clothes of persons, and thus it 

 is often carried great distances. Birds aid also in disseminating 

 of weeds, by the mud containing seeds \vlii(;li clings to their feet, 

 and by eating of seeds, which pass through the digestive appa- 

 ratus and are still capable of germinating. The water acts 

 principally in a mechanical way by carrying the seeds of weeds. 



The writer has often seen Tumble-weeds, Pig-weeds, Thistle 

 akenes on the; surface of the snow which wer<; drifting l)eforethe 

 wind, and when the snow melts in the spring these seeds and 

 fruits are often carried still further by the wat<*r. 



Certain fruits, Touch-me-nots (Inipatiens), Wood Sorrels (Ox- 

 alis), etc., burst when the pod is touched, thus scattering the 

 seeds for several feet. 



^ T I 





Small iiutleUof (EctiinoBpennuni larmula,) 

 after SudwortL In Ileal's Grasse)- of N. A. 



(DaiicuK carota) a. Whole fruit with 

 prifkles. h. CroKS section, after SuUworth in 

 Beal's Grasses of N. A. 



IMPURITIES IN SEEDS. 



Prof. Lazenby found in Michigan Amber wheat sent out by 

 the department of agriculture for 1884, the following impurities: 

 Chess (Bromus secalinus), 9,248 seeds per bushel, an estimate 

 made upon the amount found in one(iuart: Corn Cockle (Lychnis 

 githayo), 1,888; Oat (Averui saliva), 100; Barley ( Hordeum jubaium), 

 32; Snow Thistle (Sonchm), 32. 



Many of our most troublesome weeds are introduced in this 

 way, such as the Corn Cockle, Wild Oat (Avenafatua) etc. 



It is well known that railroads are a great factor in the dis- 

 tribution of pernicious weeds. One or two cases will suffice. 

 Squirrel-tail grass (Jlordeumjubatura) was not krrown to occur in 

 this region until last summer when it was found for the first 

 time along the C, M. & St. P. railroad. Common Flax (Linum 

 uHitatiHHimum, L) is commonly fourrd along railroads where the 



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