WEEDS. 73 



The wild carrot, the wild parsnip, teasel, burdock, blue weed, 

 and mullein grow like our common garden roots they do 

 not form their seed until the second season. They are bien- 

 nials, and are usually tap-rooted. It will not do in their case 

 simply to cut off the tops the first year, for they will spring up 

 again. Continued cutting off of the top, or, better still, the 

 complete removal of the root, will be found necessary with such. 



The ox-eye daisy, plantain, sorrel, and dandelion live on 

 from year to year ; they are perennials, and, therefore, most 

 difficult of all to get rid of. Some of the perennials, such as 

 the Canada thistle, couch grass, toad flax, milk weed, perennial 

 sow thistle, yarrow, and bindweed are creeping in their roots, 

 that is, they spread by the root, and therefore are among the 

 worst weeds, and, because of this, they are most difficult to 

 completely remove, and require most thorough treatment. It 

 is important, therefore, to know the nature of weeds, as to 

 whether they are annuals, biennials, or perennials, and as to 

 whether they are creeping perennials. 



NAMING OF WEEDS. The weeds are classified like other 

 plants. Frequently lists of weeds are given, having their 

 common names and also long scientific names, difficult to 

 spell and difficult to pronounce. Why is it necessary to 

 have long scientific names for weeds when common names 

 are easily pronounced, are easily understood, and are so 

 suggestive? Take an example. Teasel, water thistle, tall 

 thistle, Indian thistle, English thistle, and Fuller's card are 

 all local names for one weed. All do not know it by the 

 same name, but as dipsaats sylvestris every botanist in any part 

 of the world would know it or would be able to find it in 

 scientific books. Blue weed, blue thistle, blue stem are 

 various names in different places for the same weed. Stick 

 seed, stick weed, stick tights are different weeds, although 

 somewhat similar in name; and stick weed, in fact, is applied 

 to diflerent weeds in different places. 



