IMPROVEMENT OF GRASS LAND 167 



bottom herbage encouraged by suitable manurial treat- 

 ment. 



CUCURBITACE^: 



Bryony (Bryonia dioica L.) occurs freely in hedges, 

 and may occasionally, as we have seen during the past 

 summer, extend by its climbing tendrils well out into 

 grass fields reserved for hay. In such cases it is 

 dangerous, and care should be taken to keep it cut 

 back. (See p. 293.) 



UMBELLIFER.E 



Marsh Pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris L.), known 

 also as White-rot, is a plant found, as its name implies, 

 on marshy, boggy, damp land. It is a small perennial 

 herb, with slender white creeping stems, with leaves J to 

 2 inches long at the nodes on long stalks. The umbels 

 of small pinkish-green flowers grow from the axil of 

 the leaves on short stalks, and appear in May to August. 

 Where it occurs in excess this weed may be combated 

 by draining. 



Goutweed (^Egopodium Podagraria L.), also termed 

 Goat-Weed, Herb Gerard, occurs in damp and waste 

 places. It has a hollow, grooved, branched stem, i to 2 

 feet in height ; white, pungent, creeping rootstock ; 

 large leaves, divided or cut two or three times ; and 

 small white flowers in terminal umbels, these appear- 

 ing from June to August. Should it encroach on 

 any land where it is not wanted it must be cut 

 down, and the creeping rootstocks preferably grubbed 

 out. 



Earth-nut (Conopodium denudalum Koch.), also given 

 the names Pig-nut and Arnut, occurs freely in pastures 

 on gravelly or sandy soils. It is a pretty, slender, little 



