88 REPRESENTATIVE PLANTS 



2. Make a table of wild and cultivated composites thus 



Color of 

 Flower 



Cultivated 

 OR Not 



Number and 

 Sizes of Seed 



Kind of 

 Dispersal 



3. A Study of Common Weeds 



Statement. Weeds have such a vast influence on the wel- 

 fare of the farmer, and so indirectly on the people in general, 

 that a knowlege of the more important forms is very de- 

 sirable ; moreover, weeds are so common and show in a 

 marked way so many truths of botanical science that a 

 couple of weeks spent in their study is time well spent. 



Collection for study. Bring into the laboratory samples of 

 the common weeds of your neighborhood, and study each to 

 learn its name, characteristics of growth and foliage, root 

 system, number, size, and method of the distribution of the 

 seeds. 



When gathering weeds, observe the abundance of each 

 form, place of growth, soil, and presence or absence of 

 damaged foliage (by stock, insects, or other animals). 



Successful weeds. Observation has shown that successful 

 plants possess one or more of the following points ; compare 

 your weeds with the headings in this list : — 



(a) Can grow in any soil or very poor soil.* 



(b) Produces great numbers of seeds.* 



(c) Special methods of seed or fruit dispersal.* 



(d) Deep fleshy taproots, or, 



(e) Very many fibrous roots. 

 (/) Biennials (living two years). 

 (g) Annuals (living one season).* 



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