50 COMMON WEEDS 



deal with the various weeds of arable land, and the 

 best means of eradicating them. 



RANUNCULACE.E 



Mousetail (Myosurus minimus L.) is a small annual of 

 cornfields, especially on damp land.' It is 3 to 6 inches 

 high, with erect, fleshy, linear leaves, and flowering 

 stems, at the end of which are single, minute yellow- 

 green flowers. Flowering takes place between April 

 and June. In the fruiting stage the receptacle of the 

 flower elongates enormously, when the stem and its 

 achenes superficially resemble a miniature Plantain. It 

 is not usually so plentiful as to be a serious pest, 

 and, being an annual, thorough cultivation will keep 

 it under. 



Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens L.) must be 

 classed as one of the worst weeds of arable land. This 

 Buttercup (Fig. 8) is a hairy perennial, with leaves 

 divided into three segments, the segments also being 

 lobed and toothed ; stems i to 2 feet high, bearing yellow 

 flowers of nearly i inch in diameter, and extensive 

 runners which root at the nodes, and quickly cover the 

 ground with a network of the weed. The flowers 

 appear between May and August. If not attacked 

 in good time seeds are plentifully produced and grow 

 freely, soon completely overrunning the land. As 

 stated at p. 27, the author found in cultivated garden 

 soil over 650 seedlings of this weed in a square yard. 

 It is sometimes introduced to farms in samples of 

 clovers and ryegrass. 



This pest must be attacked by means of vigorous 

 and frequent cultivation, and the loosened plants must 

 be collected and burnt. Fallow crops will be most 

 useful, and if the weed be very plentiful, two root 



