WEEDS 201 



a work of time ana patience. Shall I ever be rid of 

 them? Probably not, but I hope to keep them in 

 subjection at least. 



What is a weed ? A plant that persists in coming 

 up where it is not wanted. Weeds may be beautiful, 

 at least few of us would deny beauty to the Poppy 

 and the Dandelion and the Corn Cockle. They may 

 even have a certain use as food or medicine. But if 

 they invade our fields and gardens against our will, we 

 set them down as weeds, and exterminate them as 

 well as we can. 



Provoking as they are, we cannot help admiring 

 their cleverness. Notice the rosettes of the Rib-grass, 

 Dandelion or Shepherd's-purse, pressed close to the 

 ground, and denying space to any other plant within 

 a certain radius. What an ugly bare patch is left on 

 the lawn when one of these is rooted out ! Or notice 

 the artfulness with which many agricultural weeds 

 time the ripening of their seeds, so that they are reaped 

 with the corn and sown with the corn. Have they 

 really adapted their original habits to those of the 

 cereals, or was it only a happy coincidence ? See 

 how some weeds, like the Creeping-Buttercup, can 

 propagate by runners, others, like Celandine, by little 

 bulbils, small and easily detached buds, which produce 

 new plants whenever they are cast upon suitable 

 ground. The Speedwells and many others spring up 

 again after they have been chopped to pieces. Agri- 

 mony, and the Forget-me-not of the fields, and Hedge 

 Avens, and Burdock have hooked fruits, which cling 

 to the hides of cattle and the fleeces of sheep, and so 

 make their way into new pastures. But visible con- 



