i8 



WEEDS OF THE FARM AND GARDEN 



farmers that these docks are unusually common on low 

 ground, having- been carried thither by water. Many 

 seeds, like those of pepper grass, are mucilaginous. In 

 walking through a patch of this weed 

 with moist shoes, many seeds are 

 caught and carried to new situa- 

 tions. 



Wild oats and many other seeds 

 may be found on land subject to 

 overflow. These seeds are scattered 

 in a mechanical way. 



Animals. Many of our weeds are 

 scattered by animals, this being 

 brought about either because the 

 plants offer something for food, as in 

 t ^ ie g roun d-cherry, black nightshade, 

 dandelion and thistle, or because the 



Fig. 10. The 

 of a common 



'seed" 

 sedge 



surrounded by an in- f ru j t j s accidentally carried. Exam- 

 nated sac. scattered by r ,1 i , i o i 



the water. (Beal.) " P les of the latter class are Spanish 

 bayonet or bootjack, cocklebur or 

 stick-seed, burdock, sandbur, and tick trefoil. 



Explosive Properties. We have but one weed the 

 seeds of which have explosive properties. This is the 

 yellow sorrel (Oxalis), which is com- 

 mon in some fields. The outer coat 

 of the seed separates and the seed 

 is forced out of the pod as though 

 shot from it. 



Creeping * Mechanisms. The 

 needle-grass is important as a weed 

 at times only, in gravelly pastures. 

 The seed of this grass has a sharp- 

 pointed callus and hairs above this 

 point that project obliquely upwards. 

 It has a long, twisted awn, and in 

 this way the seed not only creeps 



Fig. ii Theseedlike 



fruit of arrow-head, 



scattered by water. 

 (Beal.) 



