852 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK rx. 



naturally, or by irrigation, as in water meadows. It is almost impossible 

 to keep the water dock out of these fields, because the herbage on the 

 sides of the streams is not always cut, and the docks form seed, which 

 is carried away by the water and dispersed about the meads. It is 

 only by constant warfare carried on by all who manage the land along 

 the stream that this pest can be kept in check. Its eradication in grass 

 land is similar to that of the common dock under the same circum- 

 stances. The seed may be readily established in ordinary meadows, 

 and to a less extent in arable fields. Therefore great care must be 

 taken to avoid distributing the seed. 



The SORREL, or SOUR DOCK, is an exceedingly common weed of 

 grass-lands, particularly hay fields. There are two species the com- 

 mon sorrel (Rumex Acetosa, L.), and the sheep's sorrel (Rumex Ace- 

 tosella, L.) both of which are characterized by their rich green pointed 

 leaves with acid flavour. The dark crimson inflorescence of these 

 sorrels is only too conspicuous a feature of many meadows in the 

 month of June. These plants are perennial, like the docks to which 

 they are so nearly allied, and the measures recommended for the 

 suppression of the latter should prove equally useful in the case of the 

 sorrels. 



Of Thistles there are several kinds : among the most noxious are the 



Fig. 370. Thistle Extirpator or "Docking Iron." 



bur-thistle, the corn-thistle or corn saw-wort, and the sow-thistle. 

 The bur-thistle, being a biennial plant, may be killed at any time by 

 cutting it under the first leaves. But the . corn- and sow-thistles, 

 which are perennials, and extend their creeping-roots beyond the reach 

 of the plough, are more difficult to eradicate. 



The BUR-THISTLE may be removed by the use of the thistle extirpator 

 (fig. 370), which levers out the whole root. A is the handle ; B the 

 claws between which the thistle is received ; the curved iron C is the 

 fulcrum, by means of which a purchase is obtained for extracting the 



