NOTES ON WORTHLESS GRASSES, ETC. 143 



Foxglove {Digitalis purpurea), Tansy {Tanacetum 

 vulgare), and Wormwood {Artemisia Absinthium) are well 

 known to be injurious plants, and should not be allowed to 

 exist within reach of cattle and sheep. 



Garlic, Crow {Allium vineale). — The green, fistulous, 

 onion-like leaves of this plant show conspicuously in pastures 

 and meadow land early in spring, while the grass is yet short, 

 and the tufts appear to be very tempting to milch cows, whose 

 milk is at once affected by its pungent, acrid properties. The 

 flowers, or rather the heads of bulbils, are thrown up in July, 

 and if allowed to mature they disperse and grow with great 

 rapidity. Persistent hand-pulling of the bulbous roots early in 

 the year is the only way of ridding pastures of Crow Garhc. 



Qarlic=Mustard {Alliaria officinalis or Sisymhrium 

 AlUaria). — A rank annual cruciferous plant, which emits the 

 odour and tastes strongly of Garhc. It is common in hedge- 

 rows, and early in the spring its alluring bright green leaves are 

 often eaten by cows, when a very unpleasant flavour is im- 

 parted to milk and butter. The boundaries of pastures should 

 be freed from this plant before the white flower-heads appear 

 in May. Seed is freely perfected in June or July. This plant 

 is also known by such names as Hedge Mustard, Sauce Alone, 

 and Jack-by-the-hedge. 



Hemlock, Common {Conium viaculatum). — A strong- 

 growing biennial, found in hedgerows and woodsides of dry and 

 sandy soils. In the second year it grows to a height of four or 

 five feet, and flowers in July. The leaves are bright green, 

 very large, and cut into fine segments ; the stem large, hollow, 

 and spotted with purple. The plant possesses in a marked 

 degree the qualities of a narcotic poison, and when bruised it 

 emits a powerful mouse-like odour which is very characteristic. 

 By cutting off the rank growth early in the season flowering 

 and seeding may be prevented ; and as this is one of our most 

 injurious native plants, continuous efforts should be made to 

 destroy it. 



