IMPROVEMENT OF GRASS LAND 159 



slender, with small obovate or lanceolate leaves opposite 

 each other in pairs, and small white flowers. As the 

 plant is annual, the first object should be to prevent 

 seeding by cutting it early in the flowering stage. Such 

 a plan will, if repeated, have the effect of reducing the 

 weed. 



GERANIACE^ 



Meadow Crane's-bill (Geranium pratense L.) and 

 Dove's-foot Crane's-bill (G. molle L.) occur in grass 

 land, the former chiefly on the moister class of meadow 

 or pasture, while the latter is principally harmful on 

 arable land. 



Cut-leaved Crane's-bill (G. dissectum L.) and Herb 

 Robert (G. Robertianum L.) grow freely along hedge- 

 rows and waste ground. (See p. 77.) 



The Meadow Crane's-bill can at once be distinguished 

 from the other three species by its very large purplish- 

 blue flowers, which are i to ij inch across, the other 

 species each having flowers of no more than | inch 

 across. The species is a perennial, attaining sometimes 

 3 to 4 feet in height ; it flowers from June to August. 

 As in other species, the fruit is prolonged into a long 

 " beak," resembling the bill of a crane. Where this 

 plant inclines to be plentiful it should be regularly cut 

 down before flowering. 



LEGUMINOS^E 



Dyer's Green-weed (Genista tinctoria L.) is in some 

 cases a serious trouble in grass land, especially clay 

 pastures. It is a perennial plant of i to 2 feet in height, 

 branched and shrubby, with smooth spineless branches, 

 entire ovate-lanceolate leaves | to i inch long, and, for 

 the size of the plant, rather large yellow flowers, some- 



