100 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



herdsgrass and clover. The weed was therefore introduced either 

 with herdsgrass or clover. As the seed of this catchfly is much 

 larger than herdsgrass, darker colored, different shaped and with 

 a rough surface, it would be easily detected in herdsgrass, while 

 in clover seed it would probably escape detection by the casual 

 observer. It was probably introduced with clover. The seed has 

 been traced directly or indirectly to a single wholesale establish- 

 ment. The seed was sold in 1893 and two years has elapsed and 

 the dealer has no samples left and cannot tell where the seed was 

 purchased, so it is impossible to trace it outside the State. 



This weed was introduced in seed sown in 1893. It germinated 

 that season, lived over winter and bloomed in 1894. After the 

 grass was cut in 1893 the young plants of this weed were abundant 

 proving it to be a winter annual or biennial. The following letter 

 from Mr. Adams gives the facts regarding the introduction of the 

 weed which are confirmed by the other correspondents : 



Turner Center, Maine, July 4, 1894. 

 Prof. F. L. Harvey: 



Dear Sir — Last year I purchased enough grass seed to seed 

 down an acre and three-fourths. The seed was a mixture of 

 timothy, redtop and clover and was sown with barley on one piece, 

 and with hungarian grass on another. After the grain and grass 

 were removed in the autumn, I saw a great number of plants grow- 

 ing with the young grass and I thought they were oxeye daisies, 

 judging by the form of the leaf, but when it headed and blossomed 

 I found it was something entirely new to me and to every one to 

 whom I have shown it. 



I took a plant to Mr. Lyman Abbott, the agricultural editor of 

 the Lewiston Journal. He didn't know what it was and never saw 

 anything like it before. To-day I saw Mr. Z. A. Gilbert and was 

 talking to him about it, and he said if I would send a stalk of the 

 plant to you, I could find what it was and all there was to learn 

 about it. I have seen fourteen or more stalks growing from one 

 root, and the plants on the entire field are as near together as one 

 on every square yard and on much of it as near as one on every 

 square foot ; now I am anxious to know if it will spring up from 

 the root after it is cut this year, and if it is a plant that cattle will 

 eat after it is cut and cured as hay, and if they will eat it, if it is 

 healthful or injurious in case they will eat it. 



