220 Weeds. 



year previous to that in which it matures 

 its seeds. Its blossoms appear during the 

 latter part of May or early in June, hence 

 its seeds ripen before our meadows are 

 ready for harvesting, or before our crops 

 of winter cereals can be cut. It is so hardv 

 a plant that frosts do not destroy it. It 

 usually grows a little in advance of the crop 

 in which it is found, hence its presence may 

 most readily be detected just when it is 

 coming into blossom. The lighter shade 

 which its leaves possess also enables it to 

 be somewhat easily distinguished. It will 

 grow in any kind of soil free from stag- 

 nant water, but is most partial to sandy 

 loams. 



Wheat-thief is most troublesome in crops 

 which mature early, and have been sown 

 the previous season, such as winter wheat, 

 rye, and meadows. It is also found in pas- 

 tures, but it seldom infests spring crops 

 to any considerable extent, although some 

 plants may survive the early cultivation nec- 

 essary for the preparation of the ground 

 for these crops. 



Wheat-thief is most commonly distrib- 

 uted through the agency of the seeds of the 

 winter cereals and of the seeds of timothy, 



