42 FARM FRIENDS AND FARM FOES 



and pulling are effective when only a few of the plants 

 are present. 



A similar species is Wild Buckwheat or Black Bindweed. 

 The stems and blossoms of this plant are smaller than are 

 those of the Bindweed, while the flowers, instead of being 

 produced singly on stems, are quite small and clustered to- 

 gether in racemes. It is called Wild Buckwheat because its 

 seeds are quite similar to those of buckwheat. It is an an- 

 nual species, and consequently is not very difficult to subdue 

 by cultivation. 



A number of the more abundant weeds are likely to de- 

 velop in gardens and plowed fields, during the latter part 

 of summer. In some cases they are really a benefit, in 

 that they enforce surface tillage during the season when a 

 soil mulch is most needed. In fields of corn, potatoes, and 

 some other crops, however, such late tillage is impracti- 

 cable, and about the only way to fight the weeds is to pull 

 them up by hand. 



OBSERVATIONS FOR PUPILS 



1. How many of the weeds treated of in this chapter infest gardens 

 and cultivated fields in your locality ? Here is the list : 



Barnyard Grass Hedge Bindweed 



Black Bindweed Horse Nettle 



Buffalo Bur Jimson Weed 



Chickweed Lamb's- quarters 



Crab-grass Pigweed 



Finger-grass Purslane 



Fly-away-grass Quack-grass 



Giant Ragweed Ragweed 



Green Foxtail Shepherd's Purse 



Ground Cherry Tumbleweed 

 Yellow Foxtail 



2. What other weeds occur in gardens and cultivated fields in your 

 locality ? 



