54 AMARANTACEZ:..~—CHENOPODIACEE, 
the weed can only be kept down on badly infested land by continually 
working the soil, or keeping it covered with leafy vegetation. Among corm 
the plant thrives and readily ripens and sheds its seed. The addition of 
lime to the soil (4 to two tons per acre) usually aids in suppressing it. 
The plant is not poisonous, and even has a slight value during a part 
of the year as fodder for grazing stock, but on all ploughed land it is a 
great nuisance, though hardly a dangerous pest. 
P. Convolvulus, L. The Black Bindweed, or Climbing Buckwheat. 
This plant in its leaves and twining stems resembles the true Bindweed, but 
is much less objectionable, being an annual with a fibrous and not a rhizomic 
root. The short membranous stipules sheathing the stems at and around 
each leaf base, the small greenish flowers in loose axillary or stalked clus- 
ters, and the brown or black triangular but not winged fruits, each contain- 
ing a single seed, readily suffice to distinguish this plant. 
It often grows among corn, being introduced with the grain. It may 
strangulate the plants round which ic twines, and once established is hard 
to suppress, especially on stiff soil, since the seed appears to last for some 
years in the ground. Bare fallows, clean tillage, and the use of pure seed 
are the onlv remedies. ‘ 
: AMARANTACEZ (AMARANTHUS F amity). 
A small order, a few having a slight use as vegetables cr as decorative 
plants, but none being either poisonous or of special economic value. 
Amaranthus Blitum, L.. A. albus, L., and A. retroflexus L. (Prince’s 
Feather, Love-lies-a-bleeding, &c.). They seed freely, and are mostly 
found near houses, possibly as garden escapes, but aie apparently not to 
be dreaded. The lastnamed species appears to be the most troublesome, 
but has a slight fodder value. < 
CHENOPODIACEZ (THE GOOSEFOOT oR SALTBUSH FAMILY). 
This order is close to the preceding one, but has two or three small 
bragts under each flower. Usually the perianth has five segments, stamens 
five, ovary single, with two or three styles. Herbs or under-shrubs, the 
perianth often enlarged after fowering. It is a widely spread order, not 
poisonous, but including a few useful plants for food or fodder (Spinach, 
Beet, Saltbush), and several troublesome weeds. Many species are adapted 
to growth under dry conditions or in saline soil (Atriplex, Suaeda, Sali- 
cornia, &c.), and some of these species afford valuable fodder plants for 
dry or saline districts. 
Among the native species, three cosmopolitan Chenopodiums are 
included, which are almost useless as fodder, and apt to become trouble- 
some weeds if unchecked. These are Chenopodium glaucum, L., C. 
murale, L., and C. album, L., the Glaucous, Nettle-leaved, and White 
Goosefoots respectively. The lastnamed is sometimes termed Fathen or 
Lamb’s quarters. and is particularly troublesome on arable land kept in 
good heart, especially among root crops and potaices. The plant is easily 
recognised by its mealy appearance, small green flowers, and shiny black 
seed, shaped something like a flat ink-pct. The seed may remain dormant 
in the soil for many years, and hence uny of the weed that has escaped 
destruction by careless working and hoeing should be hoed or hand-pulled 
before flowering. Its tiny black seeds are a common impurity in agri- 
cultural seeds. 
Chenopodium ambrosioides, L., the Mexican Tea, is now an abundant 
and widely spread naturalized alien, and was present as far back as 1802. 
