23. YORKSHIRE. 363 



benefit. One weed left to fpread its feeds 

 this year may be the caufe of an hundred the 

 next. 



Common Corn Thistle. Nature has 

 been fingularly attentive to the prefervation 

 of this fpecies of plant. Its feeds have wings, 

 and its roots are worm-like; diffufing them- 

 felves on every fide, and ftriking to an un- 

 limited depth, fending out fuckers from their 

 joints ; while the plant itfelf is armed at all 

 points to guard its exidence until its feeds 

 are impregnated. The fecundation having 

 taken place, the plant may the next day be 

 trodden down or torn up by the roots, with- 

 out hindering the maturation of the feed : 

 the fucculency of the fiem itfelf being fuf- 

 ficient to 'mature the feed without further af- 

 fiftance from the foil. 



A plant thus favoured has probably fome 

 valuable quality belonging to it. Be this as 

 it may, viewed as a weed to corn, it is the 

 moll dangerous enemy the arable farmer has 

 to deal with. 



Neither fallowing alone, nor weeding 

 alone, will prevent its mifchief : their joint 

 cffbrrs are necelTary to keep it within bound? : 



to 



