Chap. VII. Of We e d s. 77 



ftiturion; as appears by the Inftance of Charlock and 

 Turneps, mention'd in the Chapter Of Change of 

 Species. 



'Tis needlefs to go about to compute the Value of 

 the Damage Weeds do, fince allexpenenc'd Husband- 

 men know it to be very great, and would unani- 

 moufly agree to extirpate their whole Race as intirely, 

 as in England they have done the Wolves, tho' much 

 more innocent, and lefs rapacious than Weeds (a). 



But alas! they find it impoflible to be done, or 

 even to be hoped for, by the common Hufbandry; 

 and the Reafons I take to be thefe. 



The Seeds of mod Sorts of Weeds are fo hardy, 

 as to lie found and uncorrupt for many Years f £), or 

 perhaps Ages in the Earth ; and are not kill'd until 

 they begin to grow or fprout, which very few of 

 them do, unlefs the Land beplow'd ; and then enough 

 of them will rfpen amongft the fown Crop, to propa- 

 gate and continue their Species, by fhedding their 

 Off-fpring in the Ground (for 'tis obferv'd they are 

 generally ripe before the Corn) ; and the Seeds of 

 thefe do the fame in the next fown Crop ; and thus 

 perpetuate their lavage, wicked (c) Brood, from 

 Generation to Generation. 



Befides, their Seeds never all come up in one Year, 

 unlefs the Land be very often plow'd ; for they mull 

 have their exact Depth, and Degrees of Moifture and 



(a) If we confider the Crops they utterly deftroy, and thofe 

 they extremely diminifh ; and that very few Crops efcape without 

 receiving Injury from them ; it may be a Queftion, whether the 

 Mifchief Weeds do to our Corn, is not as great as the Value of 

 the Rent of all the Arable Lands in England. 



(b) The Seeds of Lethean Poppy (call'd Red-nveeJ) have lain 

 dormant 24 Years the Land being, duringthat time, in St. Fain) 

 and then at firft Plowing they came up very thick ; this I have 

 feen, and fo will many other Sorts of Weeds, when the Ground 

 has lain untill'd for an Age. 



(c) The French call them, les Herbes Salvages, & les mechan- 

 tes Her he s. 



Heat, 



