WEEDS AND THEIR ERADICATION 



369 



very fond. If hogs are again turned into the field as soon as possible in 

 the spring and left until planting time the weed will be considerably 

 weakened in vitality. 



Hedge Bindweed. — This weed is very similar to field bindweed and 

 about as hard to eradicate; its rootstocks are larger and not so difficult 

 to remove from the soil. The trailing or 

 twining stems are three to ten feet or more 

 in length and have the same method of 

 destroying other plants. The leaves are 

 smooth, long, triangular and pointed at the 

 end instead of rounded as the field bindweed. 

 The base of the leaves forms pointed lobes. 

 The funnel-shaped flowers are about two 

 inches long, pink with white stripes or clear 

 white. They are borne singly on slender 

 flower stocks in the axils of the leaves. 

 The seed capsules are globular and may 

 contain four seeds, but often only three are 

 fertile; the dark-brown, kidney-shaped 

 seeds are angular and about one-eighth inch 

 long. They retain vitality for several years. 



Control. — The rootstalks should be 

 starved persistently by the frequent cutting 

 of the stems. The weed loves the mellow 

 soil of a cornfield. If the land is planted 

 to corn, this will mean that as soon as the 

 corn is too large to be cultivated by a 

 cultivator the field should be gone over 

 with a hoe and all young shoots cut off as 

 soon as they make their appearance. 

 Keeping them cut prevents the pest from 

 maturing seed and leaves to re-stock the 

 underground storehouse with food for 

 another year. 



Fifty Worst Weeds. — The following table gives an alphabetical list 

 of the fifty worst weeds of the United States, with such information as will 

 enable the reader: (1) to identify them; (2) to determine the nature and 

 place of their greatest injuriousness; (3) to determine their duration or 

 natural length of life, that is, whether annual, biennial or perennial; and 

 (4) some methods of eradication. With this knowledge one will be able to 

 attack much more intelligently any troublesome weed. 



1 Courtesy of The Pennsylvania Farmer. 



Field Bindweed 

 (Convolvulus arvensis). 1 



After F. S. Matthews in Manual 

 of Weeds, by Ada E. Georgia. 



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