WEED. 



ploughing it under in due time, fo as to prevent its feeding. 

 See Apiianes Arvenfis. 



Doddfr is a paralitical weed, that is faid not to be un- 

 common, in feme diftridts, in the corn-lands. This weed 

 has been obferved twining round the items or ftalks of a 

 bean crop in the county of Buckingham, climbing in a 

 fpiral direftion round them, from which, by means of veflels 

 for the purpofe, it draws its nourifhment and fupport, and 

 mull, confequently, very much fret and injure any plant to 

 which it may attach itfelf : it is called in different places, 

 as dated by writers on hulbandry, beggar's-weed, hell-weed, 

 and devil's guts, names which fufficiently (hew in what fort 

 of eftimation it is held by farmers. It is an annual weed, and 

 produced from feed, which takes no root in the earth, but 

 in fome part of its fofter-plant. It is remarked, by the 

 author of the Correfted Report on Agriculture for the 

 County of Glouceftcr, to be a great enemy to beans, 

 retches, and fome other fuch plants, but is never there feen 

 among wheat, barley, or oat-crops. That as foon as it has 

 fixed itfelf upon the plant, it feparates from the root, and, 

 like other parafitical weeds, draws all its nourifhment from 

 the plant it has fo fixed upon and embraced. Large quantities 

 af beans are, it is faid, often ruined completely by it, fo as 

 not to carry a fingle pod ; and that no method has yet 

 been difcovered to deftroy it ; for though the root cannot 

 ae found, yet it furely returns, it is thought, in fome part 

 )f the field where it has once begun to grow, whenever 

 .he plants on which it feeds, form the crop of the feafon. 

 Sheep, in fome cafes, have been found ufeful in leffening it, 

 jy feeding upon it and breaking its runners, when they can 

 je turned into the land where it prevails. See Cuscuta 

 Huropxa. 



\ Corn bind-iveed is another troublefome parafitical weed in 

 !irable-land, often growing amongft wheat, and, when 

 ibundant, twining round the ftalks of the corn, and very 

 nuch injuring the crop, when the wheat has been laid by 

 'leavy rain. It is faid not to be fo common in fome of the 

 nidland counties, as in fome of thofc nearer the metropolis, 

 jvhence they are in the habit of procuring and being fup- 

 i)lied with feed-wheat ; on which account it has fometimes 

 jeen feared that it might be introduced more abundantly 

 |)y fuch means : but as the feeds are fmall, they may eafily 

 be drefled out in cale of fuch accidents. It is a perennial 

 veed, and much additted to running in the root. It has 

 I)een proved by an experienced writer, that cutting it off, 

 'ven below the furface of the ground, only tends to fpread 

 it farther : it muft be reduced and deilroyed, if poflible, by 

 .neans of fallowing, and ufing the fame procefs as for couch 

 ')T fquitch. In fome diilrifts this weed is moft frequently 

 jbund in clays and deep loams, in which the roots ftrike fo 

 |lown, that even trenching two fpits and an half deep will 

 |iot, it is faid, reach their extremities ; and that the fmallefl 

 i)it of a root left in the ground will fpring and rife to the 

 ,urface. It entwines round and entungles all plants in fuch 

 !i manner, as eitiier to bring them to the ground, or check 

 [heir vegetation, by injuring their ftruclure on the furface of 

 !t. See Convolvulus Arvenfis. 



I Wild carrot is a common and fometimes a troublefome 

 jveed, in dry tillage-land. It is a biennial weed-plant, pro- 

 ilucing feed in a plentiful manner. Though fome, as 

 |tVithering, affert tliat this, in its cultivated ilate, is the 

 |:ommon well-known garden carrot ; yet others, as Miller, 

 ;:ontcnd that the wild carrot could never be improved fo as 

 |o render the roots in any degree comparable with the culti- 

 I'ated carrot. However this may be, where it is found in 

 jiuantity, it fhould be prevented from feeding, in order to 

 educe it, and bring it properly under, which may be ef- 



fedled by cutting or pulling it up in its early growth. See 

 Daucus Carota. 



Shepherd's needle, or beggar's needle, is a weed fometimes 

 abounding in hard tilled land, and the feeds of which are 

 not wholly feparable with eafe from grain in drefling. It 

 is a fmall annual weed, that produces a plentiful crop of 

 feeds, each feed being furnifhed with a fpike or beak of 

 from one to two inches long, whence its name of needle. 

 It feldom abounds much in well cultivated and managed 

 land. See Scandlx Peden. 



Chickiveed is, in fome cafes, a troublefome weed in a 

 crop on land which has been rendered fine by tillage, and 

 from which it fhould, therefore, be rooted out. It has 

 been remarked by the Rev. Mr. Shaw, it is faid, that this 

 weed is an excellent out-of-door barometer : — that when the 

 flower expands boldly and fully, no rain will happen for 

 four hours or upwards ; that if it continue in that open 

 ftate, no rain will difturb the fummer's day ; that when it 

 half conceals its miniature flower, the day is generally 

 fhowery ; but that when it entirely Ihuts up, or veils the 

 white flower with its green mantle, let the traveller put on 

 his great coat, and the ploughman with his beafts of draught 

 reft and retire from their labour. In Gloucefterfliire it is 

 ftated that it grows moft plentifully on the good and well 

 cultivated lands. It there mats fo clofely round the plants, 

 and covers the furface fo completely, as to keep out the in- 

 fluence of the fun and air ; and confequcntly requires to be 

 removed, which is .moftly beft performed by the hoe. It 

 may be thus kept under, if not wholly removed and de- 

 ftroyed. See Alsine Media. 



Curled dock is a mifchievous weed in tillage-land, and 

 fliould never be fufFered on any account to feed its feeds, 

 and fpread them on any land, but be rooted up and carried 

 off in time, to prevent injury. In arable ground, the roots 

 are beft picked off with care during the time the land is in 

 tillage, as they will otherwife produce vigorous luxuriant 

 plants which will draw much nourifliment from the foil, to 

 the great injury of the ground, and of the intended crop. 

 It is a hardy perennial weed, which is very tenacious of 

 growth by its roots, and producing a wonderful increafe of 

 feeds : too much caution cannot, therefore, be ufed to avoid 

 fowing it, nor too much pains be beftowed in its extirpation 

 and dcftruftion. Withering afferts it to be the peft of 

 clover-fields in Norfolk. See Rumex Crifpus. 



Arfmarts, or lake weeds, are plants of this kind, fome- 

 times met with on the wetter forts of arable lands. They 

 abound moft in wet feafons, on the heavier and more moiil 

 forts of ground ; and as being hardy annuals, producing a 

 plentiful fupply of feeds, are apt to ftiew themfelves in the 

 crops of grain. They are weeds which are to be deftroyed 

 by proper fallowing, by the removing of the wetnefs of the 

 land, and by the rooting out of the plants in proper time to 

 prevent their feeding. See Polygonum Perficarla, and 

 Pt'tifylvanlcum. 



Knot grafs is fometimes a tillage-weed ; trailing in its 

 habit of growth ; flourifliing moft by the way-fides : when 

 out of the fmothering crops, it is very prolific in feeds. It 

 fhould be got under by preventing its feeding, by rooting 

 it out fufiiciently early for the purpofe. See Polygon'UM 

 A'ctculare. 



Bearbhid, or black bindweed, is a parafitical weed that 

 twines round any thing it can lay hold of, and which is 

 fometimes found among field crops, to their great injury. 

 It is very produftive of feeds, which, being angular, are 

 not eafily feparated from grain in drefling or winnowing it. 

 It is nearly allied, it is faid, to buck-wheat, and to which 

 it is preferred by Dr. Withering, who afferts that the feeds 



