6 COMMON WEEDS 



than the little Scarlet Pimpernel or Poor-Man's Weather- 

 glass (Anagallis arvensis} ; and among other weeds 

 possessing a beauty of their own may be noted the 

 small and great Bindweeds (Convolvulus arvensis and 

 C. septum), Ragwort (Senecio Jacobcea), and Corn Marigold 

 (Chrysanthemum segetum). 



2. Harm done by Weeds 



Although, as we have seen, weeds have their uses, it 

 is generally agreed that they are a nuisance, and, while 

 they are undoubted incentives to good cultivation, with- 

 out which the best crops cannot be grown, all good 

 farmers and gardeners are equally bent on their eradi- 

 cation. Before considering the principles involved in 

 their destruction, it will be well to get a clear under- 

 standing as to the way in which they are harmful to the 

 farmer or gardener. If we give a little thought to the 

 matter, it will soon become evident that cultivated crops 

 are harmed and profit is reduced by weeds in a variety 

 of ways. 



(a) Weeds take up Space which should be occupied by the 

 Crop. Both the farmer and the gardener are aware that 

 their crops require plenty of space to enable each indi- 

 vidual plant to grow, and this is quite plain when we 

 observe the space allowed for a turnip, a mangold, an 

 onion, or a potato root. The principle of space is in- 

 volved in the idea of " singling " root and other crops 

 and flowers. Two plants cannot advantageously grow 

 on the spot of ground intended for one, and if a Char- 

 lock plant and a wheat plant grow together with their 

 roots in the same cubic foot of soil, it is certain that the 

 Charlock will exert an adverse influence on the wheat, 

 and prevent it from yielding its full crop. A Plantain 

 growing on a lawn covers quite a large area with its 



