6oo WEEDS : SPECIAL 



clover, however, it attaches itself by means of a sucker, and at 

 its free end develops a swollen and knotty tuber-like stem upon 

 which a bud is produced. From the latter arises ultimately a 

 thick, fleshy stem, which grows upwards through the soil, 

 appearing above it like a pale brownish-red asparagus shoot 

 from 6 to 1 8 inches in length. Upon the sides of the stem are 

 rudimentary pointed scale-leaves, and at its summit a spike of 

 dingy, reddish flowers which have irregular two-lipped corollas. 



When once established it is difficult to eradicate before doing 

 considerable injury to the crop, and nothing short of ploughing 

 up the clover will exterminate the pest entirely. The seeds are 

 very small and easily screened from clover seeds, so that all 

 samples of the latter should be quite free from them. This un- 

 fortunately is not always the case, and only last year we saw 

 the bad effects of sowing impure samples purchased without 

 guarantee. If only a small patch is seen, it should be dug out 

 and burnt. The pest should on no account be allowed to ripen 

 its seeds. 



CHENOPODIACEffi. — Goose-foot, Fat Hen, Meld-weed 

 iJOhenofodium album L.). — An erect annual with ovate- 

 rhomboidal lower leaves irregularly cut at the edges into blunt 

 teeth ; the upper ones are lanceolate and entire. The whole 

 plant appears as if covered with whitish meal, each mealy 

 particle being in reality a hair with a large round cell at its tip. 

 The flowers are green and very small in spike-like racemes, and 

 the seeds are black and glossy, resemljling a flattened bun in shape. 



This weed is very abundant on good well-manured land, and 

 is liable to overrun root crops in particular. The seeds often 

 lie dormant in the soil for some time, and come up when unex- 

 pected. Hoeing and hand-pulling to prevent the plants running 

 to seed is necessary. 



Spreading Orache, Fat Hen {Atriplex hastata L.). — An 

 aimual somewhat resembling the preceding plant, but it is 

 generally procumbent, and the flowers are unisexual —male and 



