WEEDS OF GRAIN AND FORAGE CROPS 47 



In the great spring wheat regions of the Northwest, the 

 Wild Oat is one of the most troublesome weeds in fields of 

 oats. This plant bears a striking resemblance to the or- 

 dinary cultivated oats, from which it is easily known by the 

 long-tipped awns borne by the terminal florets of. each 

 cluster of flowers, and by the fact that the kernel or grain 

 is very light. When present in an oats field, these Wild 

 Oats mature- earlier than the main crop and in an irregular 

 fashion, many of the individual florets dropping away as 

 they ripen. The presence of the plant not only reduces 

 the regular crop, but also sometimes causes trouble because 

 the stiff awns irritate the mouth parts of the animals to 

 which the crop is fed. 



The seeds of Wild Oats retain their vitality for a long 

 period when buried deeply in the soil. Consequently, a 

 badly infested field may require several seasons' tillage in 

 other crops before- all the seeds present have germinated. 

 A carefully planned rotation is the best method of getting 

 rid of the plant. - 



Mustard Family 



- In many localities, the most vexatious weeds in grain 

 fields are those belonging to the Mustard family. The 

 seeds of these are very commonly mixed with oats and other 

 grains, so they are sown at seeding time. One of the most 

 generally troublesome is the Charlock, Wild Mustard, or 

 English Mustard, asit is sometimes called. This was origi- 

 nally a native of Europe, but is now very generally dis- 

 tributed in America. It is especially troublesome in fields 

 of oats, the young mustard plants growing along with the 

 oats and materially- lessening the crop. Charlock is dis- 

 tinguished- from- the other Mustards by a pod, long and 

 knottedj and having at the tip arather thick, two-edged beak. 



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