32 



FARM FRIENDS AND FARM FOES 



ment. It is often said that to kill it, you must dig it out, 

 dry it on a rock, burn it, and then be very careful where 

 you put the ashes ! In gardens and limited areas, the best 

 way is to dig out the rootstocks, when no crop is in the 

 ground, with a tined potato digger and cart them away. 



By keeping persistently at the 

 roots every spring and fall, the 

 land can finally be cleared. Small 

 patches may also be smothered by 

 covering the surface with boards, 

 tarred roofing paper, or something 

 similar. 



Several species of annual grasses 

 are likely to become troublesome 

 in gardens and fields during the 

 latter part of the growing season. 

 One of these is the curious Fly- 

 away-grass or Old-witch-grass, the 

 plume-like seed heads of which 

 are to be seen every autumn roll- 

 ing before the wind, and finally 

 lodging along fences. Because of these heads that thus 

 fly along the surface of the ground, dropping their seeds 

 as they go, this grass is likely to appear even in ground 

 that has been kept free from seeding plants. Consequently 

 it is desirable that the grass be kept in check wherever 

 it appears. 



Two species of Foxtail or Pigeon-grass are universal 

 weeds. The Yellow Foxtail or Common Pigeon-grass 

 seems to be generally more abundant than the Green Fox- 

 tail or Bottle-grass. They are very similar, except for the 

 difference in color. Both appear about midsummer in 

 gardens, cultivated fields, and waste places, often carpet- 



