THE GRASS FAMILY 35 



cations, to the full depth of the furrow. A disc is not satisfactory 

 because the cuttings from the rootstocks are difficult to gather 

 and they perpetuate the growth, wherever transplanted. When 

 brought to the surface the rootstocks should be gathered and 

 burnt or removed. This should be done at once before the plant 

 has had an opportunity to renew its growth. For Manitoba, 

 S. A. Bedford recommends plowing up the Couch Grass late in the 

 spring and seeding at once to barley, three bushels to the acre. 



Rape, buckwheat or millet, sown after the land has been 

 well cultivated and the rootstocks removed, is a good cleaning 

 crop for late sowing. The land may be put under hoed crop, 

 corn, potatoes or roots the following year. 



ALLIED SPECIES: Blue Joint or Western Couch Grass 



(Agropyrum glaucum R. & S. var. occidental V. & S.) is a 

 native of the western prairies, where it is hardy and persistent 

 and prevalent everywhere. It is differentiated from the common 

 Couch Grass by the decided grayish-green colour of its foliage. 

 It is often troublesome when breaking is done carelessly, but 

 continued thorough cultivation of the land will exterminate 

 it in a few years. It gives trouble on the prairies among trees 

 and shrubbery and should be thoroughly subdued before such 

 plantations are laid out. 



Slack neuer thy weeding, for dearth nor for cheap, 



the corne shall reward it, yer euer ye reape: 

 And speciallie where, ye do trust for to feed, 



let that be well used, the better to speed. 



Thomas Tusser, Five Hundreth Pointes of Husbandrie, 1557. 



There is an opinion in the Countrey, That if the same Ground be oft sown with the Grain 

 that grew upon it, it will, in the end, grow to be of a baser kind. It is certain, that in 

 very Sterile Years, Corn sown will grow to an other kind. And generally it is a Rule, 

 that Plants that are brought forth by Culture, as Corn, will sooner change into other 

 Species, than those that come of themselves: For that Culture giveth but an adventi- 

 tious Nature, which is more easily put off. 



Bacon, Natural History, 1625. 



