Chap. VII- Of We eds. 73 



That 'tis not fo beneficial to hoe in Common-fields, 

 is not in Refpect of the Soil, but to the old Princi- 

 ples, which have bound the Owners to unreafonable 

 Cuftoms of changing the Species of Corn, and make 

 it neceflary to fallow every Second, Third, or Fourth 

 Year at far theft. 



C H A P. VII. 



Of Weeds. 



PLANTS, that come up in any Land, of a 

 different Kind from the fown or planted Crop, 

 are Weeds. 



That there are in Nature any fuch things as inntiles 

 Herb*, the Botanifts deny ;and juftly too, according 

 to their Meaning. 



But the Farmer, who expects to make Profit of 

 his Land from what he fows or plants in it, finds not 

 only Herha inutiles, but alfo noxia> unprofitable and 

 hurtful Weeds ; which come like Mufca^ or uninvi- 

 ted Guefts, that always hurt, and often fpoil his Crop, 

 by devouring what he has, by his Labour in Dunging 

 and Tilling, provided for its Suftenance. 



All Weeds, as fuch, are pernicious •, butfome much 

 more than others ; fome do more Injury, and are 

 more eafiiy defiroy'd; fome do lefs Injury, and are 

 harder to kill ; others there are, which have both 

 thefe bad Qualities. The harder! to kill are fuch as 

 will grow and propagate by their Seed, and alfo by 

 every Piece of their Roots, as Couch-grafs, Coltsfoot, 

 Melilot, Fern, and fucn-like. Some are hurtful 

 only by robbing legitimate (or fown) Plants of their 

 Nourifhment, as all Weeds do ; others both leffen a 

 legitimate Crop by robbing it, and alfo fpoil that 

 Crop, which efcapes their Rapine, when they infect 



it 



