104 ESSAY ON DESTROYING WEEDS. 



on the ground, to which should be added coarse meadow hay, or oth- 

 er suitable article, in sufficient quantity to completely smother it, care 

 being taken to cut down every spear that penetrates through the 

 covering 



The Eerns, where they cannot be subdued by the plough, should 

 be treated in the same manner, although to do this, would be dif- 

 ficult in some cases, on account of the unevenness of the ground on 

 which they grow. The tall Fern (Osmunda Cinnamomea) grows 

 in bunches, the roots of which compactly woven together, elevates 

 the soil into hills, like the old fashioned hills made around Indian 

 corn, leaving deep holes and channels between them. To cover this 

 plant, therefore, deep enough to smother it, would require many tons 

 of hay to the acre. Whoever contemplates the destroying of use- 

 less shrubs and other plants on his lands, must study for himself the 

 peculiarities of their natures, location, and all the accompanying cir- 

 cumstances, of the kind of land, its value when redeemed, and the 

 cheapest method of effecting the object. Over and above the pecuni- 

 ary recompense, always worthy of consideration, there is ofte a 

 noble pride, an exalted ambition more worthy the admiration of the 

 world, than that which inspires the conqueror of nations, which 

 prompts the proprietor to wage a war of extermination on these veg- 

 etable invaders of his territories. The indulgence of this ambition, 

 wherever pecuniary means will justify it, often as effectually weeds 

 out of the mind, low thoughts and groveling desires as out of fields 

 and pastures, the worthless intruders which have been the subject 

 of these remarks. 



