98 COMMON WEEDS 



ground, and occurs also on the borders of grass fields. 

 It appears to grow best on loamy and clayey soils. 

 Nipplewort (Fig. 27) is a slender, branched weed i to 4 

 feet in height, and contains a milky juice. The upper 

 leaves are small, entire, and scattered, while those at 

 the base contract into the stalk, and are thin and lobed, 



FIG. 27. Nipplewort (Lapsana communis L.), x about \. 

 i. Floret ; and 2. Achene, x about 2. 



the terminal lobe being large. The heads of few yellow 

 florets are J inch in diameter on slender stalks. The 

 pale brownish-yellow fruits often occur as an impurity 

 in clover and grass seeds. 



This weed is easily kept within bounds by thorough 

 cultivation and the free use of the hoe, combined with 

 hand pulling where it occurs among corn crops or in 

 young clover or " seeds." 



