125 



SUMMEE FLOWERS IN THE CORN-FIELDS. 



rilHE ears of the corn are pressing through their 

 ribbed sheaths as summer advances. By the foot- 

 path we shall find the humble Chickweed (Stellaria 

 media} pushing its tiny white stars by the side of its 

 bright green leaves. It is a troublesome weed, and of 

 little use save as food for fowls. The Medic is yet in 

 flower. The Trefoils cluster round the borders of the 

 field, where the Vetches are in bloom ; but in the field 

 we shall find one showing its blue-streaked flowers 

 among the corn. This is the Strangle Tare (Vicia tetra- 

 spermci). The Common Tare (Vicia sativd) is culti- 

 vated under the name of vetches or dills. The Yellow 

 Vetchliug (Latliyrus apliaca) is distinguished by its 

 colour from the others we have mentioned. The tare 

 of Scripture is supposed to be the Darnel (Soliwiu 

 tremulentuin). Amongst the common trailing plants 

 we shall see the heart-shaped leaves of the common 

 Climbing Buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus). This 

 is a tiresome weed to the farmer, for its small and insig- 

 nificant greenish-red flowers are succeeded by an abuii- 



