THE WEED problem: INSECTS, ETC. 69 



in the work as long as the plants show any 

 tendency to active growth, and on no account 

 must they be allowed to run to seed. So far 

 as possible neighbouring uncultivated patches 

 which have become a prey to common weeds 

 should be roughly mowed over with the scythe 

 two or three times during the year, or they 

 may be burnt over. In fact almost any 

 means is justifiable in order to reduce the 

 chances of infection by weed seeds. The 

 most common pests of the lawn are the dan- 

 delion, the plantains, dock, crab-grass, 

 Bermuda grass (in northern lawns) wild carrot, 

 chickweed, sorrel, and moss. 



DIG OUT THESE WEEDS 



The dandelions, plantains, and dock must 

 be cut out, root and all. It is no good to 

 merely crop off the rosette of leaves without 

 digging in to the soil and taking out as much 

 of the root as possible. Indeed, very often 

 the mere chopping off of the rosette will 

 result in an increase of the number of crowns 

 later in the season. In the early spring time, 

 in many parts of the country, it is no un- 

 common thing to see itinerant Italians travel- 



