74 



AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



A plant like the pigweed, which lives only one year, is 

 called an annual, and is one of the easiest of weeds to 

 destroy. Mustard, plantain, chess, dodder, cockle, crab 

 grass, and Jimson weed are a few of our most disagree- 

 able annual weeds. 



The very best time 

 to kill any weed is 

 when it is very small ; 

 therefore the ground 

 in early spring should 

 be constantly stirred 

 in order to kill the 

 young weeds before 

 they grow to be 

 strong and hardy. 



The wild carrot 

 differs from an 

 annual, for it lives 

 throughout one 

 whole year without 

 producing seeds. 

 During its first year 

 it accumulates a 

 quantity of nourish- 

 ment in the root, then rests over winter, and in the fol- 

 lowing summer it uses this nourishment rapidly in the 

 production of flowers and seeds. Then the plant dies. 

 Plants that live through two seasons in this way are 

 called biennials. Weeds of this kind may be destroyed 

 by cutting the roots below the leaves with a grubbing hoe 

 or spud. A spud may be described as a chisel on a long 



FIG. 57. WILD CARROT 



