SECRETARY'S REPORT. 95 



white clover. It will also kill any other wild plant, if yoii will 

 cut it down. It is as fatal to these wild plants as civilization is 

 to the Indian, — just about as sure to kill. 



Harrison Garfield, of Lee. — I have on my farm hardhack, 

 and I have found that it gets so strong a hold that no grass will 

 grow at all. It has formed a perfect mat, so that cattle cannot 

 get through, where, ten years ago, there was a good pasture. 

 I have practised mowing it seven or eight years, and cannot 

 kill it in that way. Three years ago I commenced ploughing it 

 up in September and October, pulling it out of the soil and 

 throwing it upon the surface, and when it got dry, gathering it 

 together and burning it ; then I manured the land and cultivated 

 it. It takes two pair of oxen to plough it. Its roots are jagged, 

 and fill the whole surface of the earth. Cutting it down tends 

 to spread the roots and make it grow thicker, so that we have 

 been obliged to tear it out and change the character of the soil, 

 by deep draining, to keep it out, after we had got it eradicated. 

 I am fully persuaded that no cutting down, however close to the 

 ground, will ever kill it. It may, possibly, do it in some places 

 where the soil is lighter than ours. 



Then, in relation to Canada thistles. They have been there 

 for twelve years, and have been mowed every year, when the 

 stalk was hollow ; they have not been suffered to go to seed. 

 Yet we do kill them by mowing. I have had them on my own 

 lands and driven them off by mowing. But I think much 

 depends on location and the nature of the soil, in regard to 

 killing them off by cutting. 



Prof. Agassiz. — I would like to inquire what plant it is that 

 is called " hardhack ? " In the eastern part of Massachusetts, 

 it is the spirea tomentosa, — a small shrub, with a rose-colored 

 flower. That certainly cannot be the plant described by the 

 gentleman who has last spoken. 



Mr. Anderson. — I have no doubt that I can kill the hardhack, 

 or any vegetable that exists. It may be more difficult to kill on 

 some grounds than on others. If the ground is too wet, I 

 would ditch it thoroughly. I think there would be no difficulty 

 in killing it, if kept well cut down. I have killed it, where it 

 has been as thick as it could grow, by one cutting. 



Mr. Garfield. — Many farmers have been obliged to tear it 

 out of the ground, to get rid of it, satisfied that cutting it off 



