90 COMMON WEEDS 



vent the manufacture and storage of fresh material ; 

 (3) fairly deep draining may be necessary, for Colts- 

 foot does not flourish on dry soils ; (4) deep plough- 

 ing and cultivating, during hot weather, with the 

 removal of the rootstocks, will materially reduce it ; 

 (5) the amelioration of the soil by the use of sand, 

 ashes, and long farmyard manure will render the task 

 of extirpation more easy ; (6) the growth of dense 

 crops like maize and vetches tends to reduce it, since 

 it requires a good light supply, which is cut off by 

 such crops. 



Corn Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis L.) is a hairy 

 annual of arable land, especially of cornfields. It is 

 i to 2 feet high, " usually erect from a decumbent 

 base," and much branched. The leaves are much 

 divided into short linear segments, almost hair-like ; 

 and the flower heads are on long stalks, the outer 

 florets being white, and having styles ; the central or 

 disk florets are yellow. The receptacle of the flower 

 head of this and following species has small, thin, 

 membranous bracts upon it among the flowers. 

 Flowering takes place between June and August. 



Stinking Mayweed or Stinking Chamomile (Anthemis 

 Cotula L.) much resembles the last species, but is a 

 few inches shorter, with thinner flower stalks. The 

 leaves are more cut into hair-like segments and dotted 

 with glands, and the plant has a strong foetid odour. 

 The white ray florets are usually barren without 

 styles. It is an acrid weed, the crushed foliage often 

 blistering the hands of those who gather it. This weed 

 (Fig. 24) is often very troublesome in arable land, 

 especially cornfields. It is annual, and flowers between 

 June and September. 



Wild Chamomile (Matricaria Chaniomilla L.) is also 

 a common annual weed of cornfields, flowering from 



