366 



SOLANACEAE (NIGHTSHADE FAMILY) 



under a heap of sawdust and grow as soon as the dust is removed." 

 Sheep are the only grazing animals that will touch the plant, and 

 they merely nibble off the fruits ; the seeds are widely scattered 

 in their droppings and many a 

 productive acre is thus practically 

 ruined. (Fig. 255.) 



Stem six inches to two feet tall, 

 erect, loosely branched, roughened 

 with short, stiff, star-shaped hairs, 

 and beset with sharp, awl-shaped, 

 yellow spines. Alternate leaves 

 two to five inches in length, oblong 

 to ovate in outline, irregularly and 

 coarsely wavy-toothed, or sinuate- 

 pinnatifid, covered with star-shaped 

 hairs, veins and midrib prickly on 

 both sides as are also the petioles. 

 Flowers in open cymose clusters 

 on prickly peduncles which spring 

 from the side of the stem between 

 the leaves, at first appearing ter- 

 minal but becoming lateral as the 

 stem lengthens ; corolla pale violet 

 or bluish white, five-lobed ; stamens 

 with anthers equal and tapering 

 toward the summit; calyx-lobes hairy, rather short, acute, per- 

 sistent at the base of the fruit, which is an orange-colored berry, 

 smooth, globular, about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, full 

 of juicy pulp and flattened, straw-colored seeds. 



FIG. 255. Horse Nettle (Solanum 

 carolinense). X J. 



Means of control 



If the infestation is new and the area not too large, the plants 

 may be killed outright by the use of hot brine, caustic soda, or 

 kerosene which usually destroys all accompanying growths or, 

 if pains are taken to apply the herbicide directly about the roots 

 of the weeds, the neighboring plants may not be greatly damaged. 

 If possible, all seed development should be prevented, which 



