CHAPTER VII 



WEEDS AND WEEDING 



51. Weeds. 52. Charlock. 53. Redshank. 54. Corn Marigold. 

 55. Thistles. 56. Field Bindweed. 57. Flax Dodder. 58. Dock. 

 59. Clean " Land. 60. Detrimental Effects of Weeds. 61. Weeding 

 or Cleaning. 62. Weed Prevention. 63. Flax Pests and Diseases. 



51. Weeds. " A weed is a plant out of place." In no case 

 is this quotation more true than when the weeds are in the 

 flax crop. One of the many difficulties with which farmers 

 have to contend is this natural vegetation which grows unsown 

 and unaided by man. 



The harmfulness of weeds to growing crops is self-evident 

 to every observant husbandman ; they shoot forth in all bare 

 patches of soil and so retard the freedom of growth of the 

 cultivated plant. They further extract much plant food and 

 absorb much moisture from the soil and in a corresponding 

 degree starve the crop, especially when these properties are 

 scarce. They serve as hosts for many pests such as insects 

 and fungi, and incidentally, neutralize much of the work 

 that is spent on thinning some farm crops. 



The prime object of the grower of flax is to reproduce his 

 selected type of seed and fibre and wherever possible to develop 

 and improve the growing flax plants. The removal of all 

 weeds may be included with drainage, tillage, and manuring 

 as a contributory factor to the foregoing desired object. 



The weeds most injurious to the growth and subsequent 

 preparation of flax and also to the purity of any seed derived 

 therefrom for future sowings are 



1. Charlock (Sinapis arvensis). 



2. Redshank (Polygonum persicaria). 



3. Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum). 



4. Thistles (Cnicus sp). 



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