A>'CIE>'T 



A>'ECDOTE.] PRINCIPLES AND PEACTICE OF 



[steeds. 



tiuuod in a state to bear tlieir rotations of 

 crops, by tlie necessary periodical renewals of 

 their fertility. The necessity of subsistence 

 produces industrious hands for every depart- 

 ment of labour; but the sluggish nature of 

 man requires every stimulus to exertion. The 

 weeds of the fields excite emulation among 

 farmers ; and foul fields are always a reproach 

 to the occupier. Thus we are compelled, by 

 an unseen hand, to better habits and more 

 active industry." 



This reasoning, we fear, is more specious 

 than sound, as there are thousands of fiower- 

 gardeus entirely destitute of weeds, and yet 

 possessing soils perfectly pulverised. We 

 have heard even of kitchen-gardens being so 

 completely denuded of weeds, that it was 

 deemed necessary to cultivate groundsel, for 

 the humble purpose of feeding a solitary pet 

 bird. Whatever may be the providential 

 purpose of weeds, however, toil is as neces- 

 sary to eradicate them, as tillage of the soil is 

 necessary previous to its reception of the 

 seed for a valuable crop. We profess to 

 small knowledge, indeed, of the meanings of 

 the ways of Providence ; but that weeds will 

 multiply rapidly and indefinitely, without they 

 are rooted out, is a fact which comes within 

 the experience of every farmer, and which, 

 without any effort of memory, is daily brought 

 within the range of his observation upon his 

 own grounds. Pliny tells a story which will 

 bear quoting, as it strikingly shows the value 

 of labour when nicely applied to the objects 

 of agriculture. " I cannot forbear stating," 

 says he, "one instance from old times, from 

 which we may perceive both that questions of 

 culture were brought judicially before the 

 people, and also how men of that time were in 

 the habit of defending themselves. C. Purius 

 Cresinus, a freeman, became the object of 

 much ill-feeling on the part of his neighbours, 

 in consequence of his gathering, from a very 

 small field, much more produce than they 

 could procure from very large ones. He was 

 accused of attracting the crops from otlier 

 fields by charms. Sp. Albinus appointed a 

 court day to hear this charge ; and Cresinus, 

 fearing that he might be found guilty, when 

 the tribe were about to pronounce their 

 verdict, brought his live and dead stock into 

 the forum ; and he brought with him a stout 

 886 



wench, and Piso says that she was in good 

 case, and well clad. His iron implements 

 were exceedingly well manufactured ; the 

 spades were strong, the shares powerful, and 

 the oxen in high condition. Then he said, 

 ' These, Romans, are my charms ; but I can- 

 not show you, or bring into the forum, my 

 mental labours, my vigils, nor the sweat of my 

 brow.' " Here are some of the great secrets 

 of good farming — strong and willing labourers, 

 good implements, long watching, and hard 

 labour. 



THE FECUNDITY OF WEEDS. 



What is a weed ? is a question much more 

 easily asked than answered. Por example, 

 every person at all conversant with fields and 

 flowers in this country, would be loth to con- 

 sider the dandelion as a specimen plant, suit- 

 able to take its place in the garden ; yet has 

 this very plant been lionised in Australia. It 

 has there formed one of the attractions at a 

 flower show, and was the means of drawing 

 thousands to gaze upon its charms. Dr. John- 

 son defines a weed to be "an herb noxious 

 and useless" — a definition more brief than 

 true. In his Booh of the Farm, Mr. Stephens 

 says — " AVhen any plant is found growing 

 where it should not be, it is a weed. Por 

 example, a stalk of wheat in a bed of tulips in 

 a garden, is a weed, and should be removed ; 

 and, in like manner, a tulip in a wheat-field is 

 a weed, and should be eradicated." This is 

 just saying that it is a fruit or a flower out of 

 place. The author of the_ article on " AVeeds," 

 in Morton's Cijclopcedia of Agriculture, says — 

 "Every plant different from the crop, and 

 growing with the crop, to its hindrance, is a 

 weed. Regarded in this light, most of our 

 wild, and even cultivated plants, may take the 

 place of weeds : thus potatoes, left in the soilj, 

 may completely smother a succeeding crop ; or 

 the shed seeds of a former crop may germi- 

 nate amid a new one ; and, in both cases, their 

 removal by weeding will be necessary to suc- 

 cess." This is sufiiciently clear and compre- 

 hensible for the farmer's view of the subject; 

 and as weeds are certainly greatly obnoxious 

 to good cultivation, it may not be amiss to 

 show here the wonderful fecundity with which 

 they are endowed. Professor Buckland, in 

 an article in the Agricultural Gazette, says 



