JUNE 



On the farm. June is one of the busiest months of 

 the year on the farm. The work is not so varied, but it 

 is urgent and laborious. There are persistent, vigor- 

 ously growing weeds to contend with, insects to combat, 

 corn fields, truck patches, and gardens to cultivate, and 

 clover and alfalfa to cut. 



LESSON LXXXIII 



WEEDS 



Weeds, a great pest. The farmer's life is a contin- 

 ual battle against the enemies of his crops. He must 

 work hard to combat insect pests and plant-diseases, but 

 harder still to eradicate the weeds. Any plant growing 

 where the farmer does not want it might be considered 

 a weed. Weeds are objectionable because they rob other 

 plants of their food, moisture, and sunlight. 



Classes of weeds. Weeds may be divided into three 

 classes annuals, biennials, and perennials. Annuals 

 are those plants that go to seed every year, and die, 

 coming up from the seed year after year. Pigweed, 

 wild mustard, and ragweed are examples of this class. 

 To destroy such weeds, prevent them from going to 

 seed. Biennials are plants that live for two years. They 

 grow up from the seed one year and produce a heavy 

 root. The next year they grow up from this root, pro- 



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