8i 



root was followed for about 27 inches from a rosette to a severed 

 end, and another bore two rosettes on vertical shoots 18 inches 

 apart. What determines this variability in the position of 

 rosettes on roots was not apparent but it was observed that a 

 horizontal root may reach close to the surface, bear a rosette 

 without any apparent vertical shoot, and continue on. Possibly 

 depth may have something to do with it, for the often abundant 

 roots at varying depth usually seemed to be plentifully supplied 

 with buds. On one root 27 buds were counted within a space 

 of 6 inches and this did not include all protuberances that 

 may be assumed to be buds. One root had 14 actively pushing 

 buds within a space of 6 inches. One vertical shoot with rosette 

 had five such growing buds within the space of an inch. 



No roots were found to penetrate deeper than 7 inches and 

 most were not so deep. Thus the depth to which roots may 

 extend — and presumably escape the plough — has not been care- 

 fully observed but the plant appears to be well able to spread 

 rapidly whether disturbed or not by cultivation. Each piece of 

 root cut in cultivation is presumably well fitted to "carry on," 

 if not buried too deep or exposed too much. A good example 

 of the rapidity with which the plant may spread and occupy 

 an area was noted at the Weibel farm where a strip of the field 

 was planted with raspberry bushes and recently cultivated. 

 The rosettes of the Sonchus here practically covered most of 

 the surface at places. (Elsewhere in recently-seeded fields it 

 has been observed to be sending up fresh rosettes with growing 

 crops.) It would be interesting to know whether single colonies 

 of this plant in undisturbed situations really represent more 

 than one individual plant. This was strongly suggested by 

 one such colony, more or less circular in outline, observed in a 

 grass field. The often uneven distribution in fields where the 

 plant is abundant also suggests this. At the Weibel farm the 

 Sonchus has proven to be very troublesome and it is obvious 

 that a plant with such characteristics as here noted easily may 

 become one of the most persistent of weeds. 



A most interesting point that has arisen in the local observation 

 of the plant concerns its proper identity. There are present in 

 the local area two types of perennial Sonchus that appear to 

 differ only in the presence or absence of glandular hairs on the 

 inflorescence and its branches. Only one collection of the plant 



