138 



THE INDIANA WEED BOOK. 



sowing clean seed; plowing under badly infested fields and culti- 

 vating in some other crop until every plantain top has been de- 

 stroyed ; where but a few plants are present, deep cutting with hoe 

 or spud ; increased fertilization and crowding out with heavy crops 

 of clover; in lawns and pastures, digging and reseeding, or per- 

 sistent mowing. In those favored localities where it is not yet 

 known farmers should be on the especial lookout for it and quickly 

 destroy every plant which comes to their notice. 



In England, where it is very common, this plantain has a score 

 or more of common names among which are ripple-grass and kemp- 

 seed. The name "kemps" comes from the old Danish kcempe, a 

 warrior, and is applied to the heads of the plantain by children 

 who play with the flower-stalks and try to knock off the heads of 

 each other's mimic weapons. The heads when they appear in 

 spring are blackish and the children, when they first see them, re^ 

 peat the following rhyme : 



"Chimney sweeper all in black, 

 Go to the brook and wash your back, 

 Wash it clean or wash it none; 

 Chimney sweeper, have you done?" 



103. PLANTAGO ARISTATA Michx. Bracted Plantain. (A. N. 2.) 



Leaves linear, erect, pointed, dark 

 green, 3-ribbed, narrowed at base. 

 Flower-stalks erect, longer than the 

 leaves, 6-18 inches tall; spikes very 

 dense, hairy, cylindric, 1-6 inches long, 

 the flowering bracts 3-10 times the 

 length of calyx. Capsule 2-seeded. Seeds 

 dark brown, 1/10 inch long, one side 

 rounded and with a distinct groove 

 across its middle, the other side flat 

 and lengthwise grooved. (Fig. 100.) 



A western plant introduced in 

 baled hay and seeds and becoming 

 common along roadsides, railways 

 and in meadows. May-Oct. First 

 noted by the writer in Vigo County 

 in June, 1888. It is most commonly 

 a winter annual and is becoming 

 more abundant in meadows each 

 year. By farmers it is often called 

 " bristly buckhorn" to distinguish 

 it from the more common species. 



Fig. 100. a, mature plant with grass-like leaves 

 and bracted spikes; 6, top of fruit with corolla at- 

 tached, the 2 seeds hanging in it; d, seed. (After 

 DeweyJ 



