STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 475 



Brassica sinapistrmn, Boissier. Yellow Mustard. Frequently 

 found in grain fields where it may become a great nuisance, as 

 it is in Eastern United States and in Europe. 



Nasturtium armoracia Fries. Horse Eadish. This perennial 

 plant, first cultivated for its roots, which are well known as a con- 

 diment, has become thoroughly naturalized and is difficult to 

 exterminate, though it spreads only by non-sexual means. It 

 grows so profusely that all other plants are suffocated. It is 

 European. 



Capsella bursa pastoris, Moench. Shepherd's Purse. A com- 

 mon dooryard weed, abundant in waste places, roadsides, etc. 

 flowering very early. It is a native of Europe, and has long 

 been naturalized in this country and many other parts of the 

 world. 



Lipidium virginnicum, L. This, unlike the foregoing cru- 

 cifers, is a native of Southern United States. It is found along 

 roadsides, in fields, in waste places, and seems to adapt itself to 

 various kinds of soil, 



CARYOPHYLLEAE. 



Lychnis (/ithago, Lam. Corn Cockle. A very common weed 

 in grain fields. The large black seeds are very conspicuous in 

 grain. The seeds are roughened and very often if the farmer is 

 not careful the larger seeds pass over with seed wheat. Cockle 

 commonly matures earlier than wheat and oats, so that the seeds 

 are liable to remain in the field. 



The ^'screenings" of wheat, oats, etc., are largely used for 

 feeding cattle, and as they are likely, and do, in a great many 

 cases, contain the seeds of cockle and common Vetch or Tare, 

 the farmer ought to be somewhat cautious in feeding his cattle. 

 In some cases it is customary to boil or grind the "screenings; " 

 in other cases it is fed raw, the seeds thus entering into compost, 

 some passing the digestive apparatus without materially affect- 

 ing the germinative powers of the seeds. 



If it be preferable to feed "screenings" raw, the compost 

 ought to remain till thoroughly rotted. 



This weed is also very troublesome in Europe. (Thaer, 1.) 



The following two ought to be included, but neither of them 

 is troublesome : Cerastium viscosum, L. Mouse Ear Chickweed. 

 Stellaria media. Smith. Common Chickweed. Troublesome 

 in Europe (Thaer, 2.) 



