180 On Star of Bethlehem, 



rendered worthless by this agriculturally vile plant. 

 Botanically I find it a favorite with our highly intel- 

 ligent member, professor Barton ; who looks only at 

 its good qualities ; with which I am willing to dispense, 

 if it could be entirely rooted out of our country. I 

 know nothing but paring and burnings that will subdue 

 this foe. This I should have done ; but my public en- 

 gagements, at the proper season abstructed me from 

 such employment. This practice being unknown here 

 I wished personally to superintend it ; to prevent (as 

 much as in me lay) failure exciting prejudices against it. 

 In the spring of 1809, 1 determined not to be outdone ; 

 and took the resolution to hand weed an acre of the 

 worst part of my field. I turned in the plough ; and had 

 a man, to lead boys, in hand weeding after the plough 

 and harrow ; but could not get through above half the 

 acre. From this I collected, in repeated ploughings and 

 harrowings, at least one hundred and fifty bushels of 

 bulbs ; estimated on a computation of the loads of a 

 measured cart body. I should have persevered ; but 

 the boys grew tired and abandoned the task. 



Until my disaster, I had no idea of the extent to 

 which this destroyer has spread it ravages. I hear of it 

 from numerous quarters of the old settlements of our 

 state. It has even been indulged, in grass grounds and 

 meadows. Those who admired its insidiously modest 

 and bloomy whiteness, did not perceive the ruinous 

 pleasure they enjoyed. It exhausts far hty ond garlick ; 

 though it does not nauseate the crops. Meadows and 

 fields, once fertile and productive, are rendered by it 

 barren and worthless. I earnestly wish that our fl\rmers 

 would take the alarm, in due time to arrest the progress 



