WEEDING. 37 



down," i.e., form their bulbs, it is the general practice to re- 

 move as far as practicable any surplus earth that has 

 accumulated around thera. In weeding, two or three rows 

 are sometimes taken together. Just before the crop ripens 

 down, larger weeds will show themselves here and there 

 over the beds : these are generally gathered in baskets, and 

 dropped at the end of the rows. If the seeds of such 

 weeds get ripe before they are pulled, the weeds should be 

 carefully deposited in a pile in some by-place, where they 

 can be burned when dry. Growers who practise throwing 

 such weeds to their hogs because they are large and suc- 

 culent, make an annual seeding of their beds with weeds. 

 Particularly is this true of purslane, one of the greatest 

 plagues in the heat of the season. This pest propagates 

 itself by cuttings as well as from seed, every little portion of 

 the plant readily rooting, as I have proved by experiment ; 

 hence, all portions of the plant should be removed from the 

 bed. The habit of this plant is to ripen the seed well down 

 on the stock, while the main body of the plant is in its 

 full vigor ; hence it usually happens that much seed drops 

 into the land some time before it is pulled, while the farmer 

 never mistrusts it has ripened. I have seen purslane com- 

 pletely eradicated from garden-plots where it formerly was 

 a pest, by a little care in this matter of letting it go to seed. 

 The same remarks apply to the weed known as chickweed, 

 which on rich and moist soil will spread appallingly fast, if 

 not destroyed when so young as barely to be detected. It 

 is apt to get the start of gardeners, because at the same time 

 ripe seed and buds and blossoms are to be found on it. I 

 consider it the most troublesome of all weeds. When blank 

 spots occur from poor seed, poor planting, or the ravages of 

 the oniori-maggot, bush-beans, cabbages, or tomatoes may 

 be planted. 



