WEEDS OF ARABLE LAND 73 



and, if not checked, quickly ripens large quantities of 

 seeds, which are readily shed. This weed (Fig. 14) 

 is a more or less downy and sticky, branched annual, 

 6 to 1 8 inches high, with thickened nodes or joints. 

 The leaves are small and fine, \ to ij inch long, awl- 

 shaped, with a groove beneath, and arranged in whorls 

 at the joints of the stem. The flowers, appearing 

 between June and August, are small (J inch across), 

 white, on slender stalks in loose terminal clusters 

 (panicled or sub-umbellate cymes). The seed capsules 

 are more or less round. 



Spurrey invades both corn and root crops, and if 

 plentiful may quite smother any spring or summer 

 sown crops. The growth of young turnips may be 

 seriously impeded by the luxurious growth of Spurrey, 

 and the thinning of carrots may be an arduous task 

 completed with the greatest difficulty, while corn 

 crops may be quite overrun by the pest. " It never 

 does any injury to corn after lea, but corn after root- 

 crop is sometimes completely destroyed by it, and the 

 grazing grasses and clovers sown with the corn may be 

 entirely smothered." 1 



Wherever Spurrey appears, strenuous efforts must 

 be made to prevent it seeding. If root crops be in- 

 fested they should be hoed as often as may be necessary 

 to keep down the weed and prevent the ripening of 

 seed, while the roots should be hurried on by means 

 of manures. Should a corn crop be early observed 

 to contain Spurrey, the weed should be hoed out or 

 hand pulled ; but if the land be known to contain the 

 seeds, the surface cultivation recommended for Poppies 

 (P- 55) should be practised. In the case of fallow 

 crops also, late quick-growing turnips may be sown ; 

 this will afford an opportunity for one or more surface 



1 M 'Alpine and Wright, H. and Agric. Soc. Trans., 1894. 



