326 WKEDS OF AGRICULTURE, 



be carefully rooted out, for the plant it bears is tall, strong, 

 and cumbersome, capable of contending with any crop, and 

 often grows taller than the corn. Besides, it has a tendency 

 to take absolute possession of the soil ; and, if once in pos- 

 session, it is most difficult to eradicate. In wet, clayey, 

 arable soils, where, through neglect, this weed abounds, the 

 only remedy is paring and burning the surface of the land, 

 and afterwards oivino- it a naked fallow. The row culture, 

 and liberal use of the horse-hoe, being adopted in every suc- 

 ceeding crop, will effect the destruction of the weed, and 

 prevent its regaining a general footing in the soil. There is 

 a variety of this grass without awns, described in the Hortus 

 Gramineus Woburnensis ; it is also destitute of the knotted 

 roots which constitute the character of couch, as regards this 

 grass. 



6. C0'Ul'"i^-V0OT (tiissilagofarfara). Scape one-flowered, 

 scaly ; leaves cordate, angular, toothletted. 



The roots of colt's-foot creep horizontally far and wide. 

 Every part of the root will produce a plant, and, though 

 buried to the depth of a yard or more, it will vegetate, send 

 up a stem to the surface, and spread out with astonishing- 

 rapidity. It will flourish in the strongest clays, in which it 

 is found to be one of the most injurious of weeds, and hard 

 to destroy. The flowers appear early in the spring, and long 

 before the leaves are expanded. Where it abounds, draining 

 should be had recourse to, if the soil be damp; and if clayey, 

 the texture of the soil should be improved by an abundant ap- 

 plication of sand, coal ashes, or other warm dividing manures. 

 Paring and burning early in the spring, and followed by a 

 naked summer fallow, will overcome this weed so often com- 

 plained of by farmers ; and the adoption and judicious applica- 

 tion of the row, or drill culture and horse-hoe husbandry, will 

 complete the eradication of this vile and troublesome weed. I 

 have completely overcome colt's-foot, by simply draining and 

 hoeing. It was never suffered to produce flowers, or fully to 

 expand the leaves ; this plan persevered in, and faithfully 

 executed throughout one entire season, was found sufficient 

 to subdue it. But when suffered to flower, and to expand 



