THE SPINACH OR GOOSEFOOT FAMILY 55 



its stout woody character and sharp spines, it is almost impos- 

 sible for horses to work where it abounds, unless their legs are 

 well protected. It is hard on harvesting machinery and wasteful 

 of binder twine. 



Remedy : Hand-pull wherever practicable. Harrowing grow- 

 ing crops is an effective remedy; it is easily killed when young 

 by this method. The harrow should be applied just before the 

 grain emerges from the ground and again when the crop is three 

 inches high. 



Where winter wheat is grown successfully, there is little 

 difficulty with Russian Thistle, as it is very susceptible to frost 

 and plants started in late summer will be destroyed before they 

 produce seed. Spring crops should never be sown on land that 

 contains live Russian Thistle seeds unless there is sufficient 

 moisture in the soil to produce a vigorous growth. Scientific 

 dry farming, with a well tilled summer-fallow every third year, 

 will conserve the moisture in the soil so that the crops will be 

 strong enough to crowd out the Russian Thistle. Work on 

 summer-fallow should begin early, not only to conserve the 

 moisture but because these plants, if allowed to become full 

 grown, are so cactus-like as to make it almost impossible to put 

 horses among them. 



For thilke ground, that beareth the wedes wick, 

 Beareth eke these holsome herbes, as full oft 

 Next the foule nettle, rough and thick, 

 The rose wexeth, soote, smooth, and soft, 

 And next the valey is the hill a loft, 

 And next the derke night the glad raorrowe, 

 And also joy is next the fine of sorrow. 



Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Creseide, 1380. 



Columella, author of De Re Rustica, written in the first century A.D., says "if these 

 (weeding and sarcling a kind of hoeing) are neglected, the produce of the fields will 

 be greatly diminished ; in my opinion he is a very bad farmer who allows weeds to grow 

 along with corn: for the produce will be greatly lessened if weeding is neglected." 



Adam Dickson, Husbandry of The Ancients, 1788. 



