PIGEON-WEED ON THE CLAY LAND. 305 



May escaping, while that which is sown during the first 

 week is destroyed. 



The whole district, from Its flatness and the tenacity 

 of its soil, is a fit subject for thorough-drainage with 

 tiles — for the manufacture of which the soil itself aifords 

 abundant material. Major Campbell has Imported a tile- 

 machine — the first, I believe, which has been seen In the 

 province — and placed it in the hands of a brickmaker 

 near Montreal, who has already made and disposed of 

 many thousands. On a portion of his own land, which 

 he had dried by means of these tiles. Major Campbell 

 showed me beautiful mangold-wurzel ; while on the 

 imdralned land beside it, scarcely a plant had thriven. 

 Richer clover also had come up on another drained spot, 

 and less of the pigeon-weed, as it is here called, with 

 which this clay land is infested. 



There are few of the evils which afflict the practical 

 farmer, in the management of his land and stock, which 

 do not aff'ord illustrations of the money-value of know- 

 ledge to himself — and of the economical importance to 

 his country that he should possess it. I may advert for 

 a moment to the lesson taught us by the weed of which 

 I have just spoken. 



The Lithospermum arveiise^ Corn-gromwell or stone- 

 weed — called in North America by the various names of 

 pigeon-weed, red-root, steen-crout, stony-seed, and 

 wheat-thief — is said to be a European importation, 

 brought in probably with unclean seed-wheat from 

 France, or Germany, or England. Thirty years ago, it 

 w^as almost unknown ; now in many places it usurps the 

 ground, and especially overruns the districts which have 

 been accustomed to the growth of w^heat. But it is a 

 punishment which has followed the practice of the igno- 

 rant and slovenly farmer, who has paid little attention 

 either to cleaning his land at all, or to the right way of 



YOL. I. U 



