178 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 
sary to have plants that are mature enough to show the nature of the 
fruit (pods, seeds, etc.). 
Bear in mind that the list in this book is quite incomplete, and you 
are apt to meet varieties that it does not include. 
2. Get acquainted with weeds.— To be able to name a few weeds 
when you see them in bloom may not indicate any real acquaintance 
with them. (a) You must learn to recognize the different kinds in all 
stages of growth; know their form and general appearance, how large 
A COLLECTION OF WEED SEEDS 
Supplied by the Department of Biology of the North Dakota Agricultural 
College. Mounted specimens of the plants to aid in identification may also 
be secured from the same source. 
they become, shape of leaves, kind of flowers and seeds, and how the 
seeds are distributed; where they are most common and what special 
harm they do, if any; whether domestic animals will eat them if found 
in pastures or if present in hay. (b) Learn whether they are annual, 
biennial, or perennial; what sort of roots they have; what character- 
istics they have that make them successful weeds; what appears to 
be the best method of controlling them. 
3. A collection of weeds. — Take a specimen of each kind of weed that 
is common in your neighborhood — either the entire plant, or part of 
