INTRODUCTION 



AGRICULTURE has been defined by the Bishop of 

 Newcastle as "A controversy with weeds." The growth 

 of weeds certainly constitutes one of the chief troubles 

 of the tiller of the soil, for weeds are too often 

 luxuriant where a good cultivated crop is awaited. 

 The average farmer is quite familiar with the ordinary 

 tillage operations which conduce to clean farming, 

 and the gardener is able by intense cultivation to keep 

 down weeds, but there are many methods which may 

 be successfully employed in combating a given species 

 which are not generally known. The agricultural 

 Press testifies almost daily to the fact that informa- 

 tion on the best means of eradicating weeds is badly 

 needed by all concerned in the growth of crops, and 

 I have long been convinced that the subject was 

 deserving of special treatment. Careful thought 

 quickly crystallised into the idea that a volume dealing 

 with weeds and their destruction, and summarising 

 under one cover the information scattered in many 

 volumes published in this and other countries, would 

 be of practical value. I hope, therefore, that the 

 following pages will supply a real need, and prove 

 useful to all engaged in the various branches of 

 agriculture. 



It would be a great pleasure to me should the 

 critic complain that the use of the word " Common " 

 in the title of this volume is misplaced, as one of the 



vii 



