38 



FIG. 14. 



PENNY-CRESS, BASTARD-CRESS, FRENCH WEED, WILD GARLIC, OR 



STINK-WEED. 



Thlaspi arvense (L). . 



A winter annual, introduced from Europe, and a very bad weed. It 

 is very abundant in Manitoba and is becoming rather common in Ontario. 

 It grows as an erect plant, with a number of branches from the upper 

 part. The leaves are numerous during the tirst of the season, and clasp 

 the stem by ear-line lobes. The flowers are white and small, with spread- 

 ing flower stalks. The pods which succeed the flower are very charac- 

 teristic. They are nearly orbicular, about half an inch broad, quite flat, 

 with a broad wing all around, and notched at the top. Fig 14 shows this 

 peculiarity. Each pod produces about twelve seeds, which are dark 

 brown to black and oval in shape, with curved lines. An average plant 

 produces about 20,000 seeds. 



The plant has a peculiar odour, resembling that of garlic, hence so;iie 

 of the common names. The seed also has a very pungent taste. When 

 eaten by milch cows, it imparts a disagreeable flavor to the milk. 



Time of flowering, May-September. 



Time of seeding, June -September. 



Dispersal chiefly by the wind. 



Eradication. Continuous growing of hoed crops with thorough 

 cultivation thereof, followed by heavy seeding with rye. In places where 

 the weed is very thick, mowing and burning is a good remedy. The 

 method outlined for eradicating Mustard is applicable to this weed. 

 (Fig. 15). 



