542 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



half as wide. Very common in clover seed. The broad plantains 

 may be removed by hand from yards and lawns. In clover fields 

 continuous cultivation is required. This will be the same as that 

 recommended for mustards in clover. (Ohio A. E. Sta. B. 175.) 



Orange Hawkweed or Paint Brush. This is perhaps one of 

 the worst weeds in the East. Paint brush has come to stay. It is 

 not native of this country. It has been reported by farmers in 

 many counties in N. Y. State. 



This weed was first noticed there about 35 years ago. It doubt- 

 less escaped from cultivation, as it has often been used for ornamental 

 purposes. Its spread has been exceedingly rapid, and in sections 

 where it was but little known only a few years ago it now covers large 

 fields. Orange hawkweed or paint brush is a perennial plant, that 

 is, it belongs to that class of plants which live for more than two 

 years. It has a very shallow root system. It has two methods of 

 reproduction by seeds and by runners. The runners are very 

 similar to those of the strawberry plant, and in a very short time this 

 weed will spread over large areas by means of the runners alone. 

 The seeds, which are borne in great numbers, resemble the seeds of 

 the thistle and the dandelion, and are blown about by the wind 

 in the same manner. Although there is no probability of ever 

 getting entirely rid of the weed there are some methods of control 

 which are more or less successful. 



Three thousand pounds of salt per acre is required to kill 

 the paint brush. The salt is said to destroy the weed without dam- 

 aging the grass. This method may be advisable for very small 

 areas but it will never be practicable for large areas, as it is too 

 costly. Under some conditions the salt would cost as much as the 

 land is worth. Moreover, the weed would spring up again in the 

 same place in a few years and the operation would have to be 

 repeated. In small areas the plants may be killed by hoeing. If 

 this is done just as the plants are blossoming or before they begin to 

 blossom, they will not reappear in that place again for some time. 

 The seeds should not be allowed to ripen. (Cornell A. E. Sta. B. 9.) 



The Perennial Sow Thistle (Sonchus arvensis). This weed 

 now stands in the same class as the Canada thistle, and in many 

 parts of the country it is considered the worst noxious weed with 

 which the farmer has to contend. It has gained a foothold in most 

 places before the people recognized the plant, but once the plant is 

 identified it will not likely be overlooked. Unlike wild oats, there 

 is no difficulty in knowing sow thistle as soon as it appears above the 

 ground. Like the Canada thistle, the perennial sow thistle has a 

 long, underground, creeping stem, which will produce a new plant 

 every few inches. By spreading in this way it is able to take com- 

 plete possession of the ground, crowding out the young grain plants 

 before they get a start. This weed, in some respects, is more diffi- 

 cult to eradicate than the Canada thistle. The root stocks spread 

 and the winged seeds scatter just as freely as in the case of the 

 Canada thistle, and, besides, the seed of this weed is more viable, 

 as nearly every seed will grow. (Man. Bui. 2.) 



