Description of the Wild Oat. 183 



In fence borders it will usually be found 

 "very difficult to dislodge quack-grass with- 

 out first removing the fence for a time, 

 and then cleaning the ground as described 

 above. However, another mode would be 

 to smother the weed by piling litter or 

 manure upon it, but this mode would only 

 be applicable in the case of small patches. 

 It must not be forgotten that the weed 

 should be destroyed in such places, other- 

 wise it will be continually pushing itself 

 out into the field and giving trouble. 



(2) THE WILD OAT. 



The wild oat (Avena fatua) is an annual 

 grass that is one of our most pernicious and 

 troublesome weeds. In fact, the attention 

 has never been given to this pest that its 

 banefulness merits, but we would advise all 

 farmers to spare no pains to exterminate it 

 utterly from their land. The wild oat will 

 grow readily at different seasons of the 

 year, but it makes its most vigorous growth 

 in the warm, moist weather of spring, 

 though not in early spring. It bears con- 

 siderable resemblance to the common oat, 

 but there are some distinctive points of dif- 

 ference. In the wild oat the chaff scales 



