THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



151 



grasses will soon cover the surface. 

 Lawns that have been cut very close 

 for several years, will suffer much from 

 creeping weeds, which get all the sun- 

 light on their foliage they require to 

 keep them healthy. Unfortunately 

 there is no way to get rid of these but 

 by letting the grass grow for a season, 

 which smothers out the weeds. A good 

 help, however, is to sow in the fall, 

 seeds of some low growing tufty grass, 

 which mowing does not weaken much. 

 The Sheep Fescue is a good one for this 

 purpose. We ai-e inclined to think 

 that even for the main grass in lawn 

 making it has some good points. So 

 far the Kentucky blue grass has had 

 no competitor. The good point in a 

 first-class lawn grass is that it shall 

 grow so stocky as to crowd out all com- 

 petitors. — The Gardener's Monthly. 



WEEDS. 



J. nOYeS PANTON, M.A., F.O.S., PROFESSO'H OF NATURAL 

 HISTORY AND GEOLOGY. 



Any plant out of place is really a 

 weed, even if it does possess consider- 

 able beauty. Some plants are so fi'e- 

 quently out of place that they have 

 been always known as weeds, such as 

 the thistle, chickweed, bindweed, etc. 



In Ontario we have somewhere 150 

 species of plants commonly known as 

 weeds, and of these nearly 100 have 

 been introduced from Europe. Every 

 year adds a few more foreigners, and if 

 farmers are not more vigilant in watch- 

 ing against these unpleasant invaders 

 our Province will soon be overrun. 



There is no doubt that weeds are on 

 the inci'ease in Ontario, both in number 

 and species. This may be accounted 

 for by the comparative indifference of 

 many farmers to the growth of weeds 

 on the roadside, as well as to the prac- 

 tice which now prevails of procuring a 

 change of seed from other districts. 

 The productive power of these perni- 

 cious plants will be better understood 

 when the reader examines the results 



of observations on their seed-bearing 

 capabilities. 



In each case following the seeds are 

 from a single plant : purslane, 500,000 ; 

 burdock, 400,328 : cockle, 3,200 ; mus- 

 tard, 31,000 ; Canadian thistle, 42,000 ; 

 ox-eye daisy, 9,600 ; chess, 3,500 ; mal- 

 low 16,500. When we consider this 

 productive power and the vitality some 

 possess, together with the peculiar mode 

 by which many are distributed, the 

 surprise is that we are not more over- 

 run than we are, especially when un- 

 fortunately located near careless or 

 indifferent farmers. 



Weeds are largely distributed by the 

 following means : — 



1. Along with grain obtained from 

 other districts. 



2. Animals carrying seeds attached 

 to their bodies. 



3. By the wind, where seeds are 

 supplied with structures which enable 

 them to be blown about. 



4. Threshing machines carrying seeds 

 from farm to farm. 



5. Renting farm for a short time to 

 men who ai'e indifferent to the condi- 

 tion in which they leave the place, bet- 

 ter or worse, and usually worse than 

 they found it. 



6. Manure from city stables. 



With such odds against him a farmer 

 who desires to keep his fields clean 

 must be vigilant, industrious and pains- 

 taking. However, if he observes the 

 following hints he will succeed in de- 

 stroying weeds : — 



1. Cultivate the land thoroughly. 



2. Watch the roadsides and fence- 

 corners. 



3. Never allow the weeds to seed. 



4. If possible, never allow weeds to 

 have the benefit of sunlight ; this can 

 be effected by constant and thorough 

 cultivation, and will* soon result in a 

 clean farm. 



5. Secure the co-operation of fellow- 

 farmers. 



