<;HAP. ix. THISTLES. 853 



root. D is an iron rod or bar, upon which the foot is placed to thrust 

 the claws into the ground. In case the root of the thistle breaks, 

 during the endeavour to extract it, the curved blade E, which has a 

 sharp end like a chisel, is thrust into the ground, in order to cut off 

 the root some inches below the surface, but the advantage of this is 

 doubtful, and the chisel end is usually omitted. 



If thistles are cut down in rainy weather, or if much rain falls 

 soon afterwards, the water descending into the fresh wound of the 

 stem (where cut by a spud) weakens the roots, and prevents the 

 growth of the plants for a time. But if such opportune rains do not 

 occur, fresh leaves will immediately arise from the dormant buds in 

 the region of the neck or "collar," and the cutting will produce very 

 little effect. They should, therefore, be annually pulled up as soon as 

 possible after the flower begins to form, taking advantage of the first 

 shower that happens to fall to soften the ground and make them draw 

 freely. By pursuing this practice regularly during several years, the 

 deep-lying perennial roots will become gradually weakened, and fall 

 into decay. 



The CORN-THISTLE (Serratula tinctoria, nat. ord. Composites), often 

 known as the COMMON WAY-THISTLE, is a weed which grows chiefly in 

 rich clayey soils ; but is common to all. Its " seeds," being light and 

 feathery, float on the wind, and sow themselves everywhere. Even 

 after a fallow many of these weeds will rise in the following spring. 

 It is not sufficiently understood that thistle roots do not die if cut and 

 left in a moist tilth ; they must be drawn out by curve-tined harrows 

 and killed by exposure. The presence of thistles in young pastures is 

 frequently due to the fact that the roots were not dragged omt before 

 the seed was sown. It is a difficult but necessary task to keep them 

 under, for there is no weed so unsightly or so injurious as this. 



The SOW-THISTLE (Sonchus arvensis, L., or oleraceus, nat. ord. 

 Compositse), which is remarkable for the regularity with which it 

 opens its flowers at six o'clock in the morning and closes them at 

 noon, sadly troubles the farmer, and impoverishes the soil where 

 it is permitted to gain any head. The presence of this weed in 

 large quantities generally denotes poverty in the soil, and liberal 

 manuring will check it because the grasses will grow more vigorously. 

 The sow-thistle most commonly grows on banks and in hedge sides, 

 but the previous remark applies to all of the softer-prickled this-tles, 

 and also to dandelions and plants allied to them. They may be cut 

 out with a spud with much temporary though not permanent advantage. 

 It is extremely difficult to destroy them on grass land, but they may be 

 kept in check by constant spudding below the surface while young ; or, 

 by cutting above the surface just before the thistle comes into flower, 

 the water will run down the stem and rot the plant far into the root, 

 thus causing a weaker growth in the future. 



The SPEAR PLUME-THISTLE (Cnicus or Carduus lanceolatus, L., nat. 



