WEED. 



formidable and hurtful plant of that kind. All the parts of 

 this are confiderably acrid, and have a rank difagreeable 

 fmell ; whence it is called by thofe farmers who have it in 

 their lands Jltnkiueed. It may, it is fuppofed, doubtlefs, be 

 reduced and deftroyed by the procefles already recommended 

 for the deftruftion of chadlock. See Brassica Muralls. 



Fumitory is an annual weed, that is not uncommon or un- 

 ufual in corn-fields, though not very greatly pernicious in 

 them. It (hould, however, be kept well under where it is 

 in any quantity. See Fumaria Officinalis. 



Reji harrows are weeds fometimes met with in tillage- 

 lands. They are chiefly two forts, the former of which is 

 faid not to be uncommon in arable lands, where there are no 

 very defirable plants. It is common in fome diftrifts among 

 corn-crops, and an hardy perennial weed. In its deftruftion, 

 if the root can be got rid of in the fallow, there is httle 

 danger, it is faid, from the feeds : the roots are fometimes 

 fo ftrong as almoft to (lop the plough, unlefs the team be 

 pretty ftrong. The latter is frequently met with in fome 

 places, but is unknown in fome of the midland counties. 

 See Ononis Arvenfis, or Spinofa. 



Tare, particularly in the wild ftate, is a weed very 

 injurious to corn-crops. It is faid to be a terrible enemy 

 to a wheat-crop, where it abounds in confiderable quantity. 

 Withering fays, that in wet feafons whole fields of corn have 

 been overpowered and wholly deftroyed by it. Care (hould 

 be taken, that feed-wheat be perfectly free from the feeds 

 of tares ; and all land fubjeft to them (hould be got, if 

 polfible, fo forward in the fallow, as to bring on the vegeta- 

 tion of this weed previoufly to the fowing of the wheat : 

 the feeds of this weed are faid to be good food for pigeons, 

 poultry, and many other forts of birds. See Ervum 

 Tetrafpermum, and Hirfutum. 



Rape, in fome cafes, is a very injurious weed in arable 

 land. It (hould, in all cafes where it prevails much, be pre- 

 vented from ripening and (hedding its feeds, as when this is 

 not the cafe, the farmer has long to regret the confequence 

 of his negleft. See Chadlock fupra. 



Melilot is a weed very troublefome in tiUage-land. The 

 writer of the paper already noticed fays, that it is a very 

 injurious corn-weed in many parts of the kingdom. That 

 Miller marks Cambridge(hire, and Gerard, Effex, as abound- 

 ing in it. That it has been heard of in Bedford(hire, and 

 feen among corn in Gloucefter(hire and Rutlandfliire : that 

 in the latter county, five or fix fliillings the acre have fome- 

 times been faid to be expended in weeding it out, without 

 fully effefling the purpofe. According to the Flora 

 Ruftica, there cannot be a worfe weed among bread corn, 

 for a few of the feeds ground with it fpoil the flour, by 

 communicating their peculiarly ftrong tafte to it. That it 

 flowers in June and the following month, and the feeds ripen 

 with the corn ; and that it is probably capable of propa- 

 gating itfelf, both by its roots and feeds, but might doubt- 

 lefs be much vceakened and reduced by proper fallowing : 

 that horfes are very fond of it ; cows, (heep, and fwine, eat 

 it ; and bees are very fond of the flowers : it is, therefore, 

 though a corn-weed, a good pafture plant. It is faid to be 

 common in the vale part of the county of Gloucefter, in the 

 arable lands ; and it has been fuggelkd, that if the feeds did 

 not afford an unpleafant tafte to the flour of wheat with 

 which it may happen to be mixed, it might probably be 

 cultivated with advantage, as all domeftic animals are fond 

 of it in fome degree. See Trifolium Melilotus officinalis. 



Sow-thijlle is a very common and troublefome weed in 

 tillage-land : it is a perennial, and common among corn- 

 crops in fome diftrifts ; which, in all cafes, when it happens 

 to be fo abundant, fliould be drawn up by the hand or other 



II 



proper means before it tipens and fpreads its feeds ; which, 

 as being furnilhed vnth a feathery down, would otherwife 

 fly over the whole country and diftrift, as has already been 

 feen. See Sonchus Ar'oenfts, and Thistle. 



Common thijlle, curfed thiftle, or fow-wort, is, in many 

 cafes, a troublefome and difagreeable weed in and about 

 corn-lands and crops. It is commonly called thiftle, grow- 

 ing almoft every where : when injurious in corn-crops, it 

 may, it is faid, be weakened and reduced by good tillage 

 and weeding, but not totally deftroyed, in perhaps thefe or 

 any other ways, otherwife than by univerfal agreement to 

 root it up, before its feeds ripen and become fpread, or by 

 fome regulation of police enforcing the fame. This mif- 

 chievous weed is produced by its numerous fibrous roots, 

 which are hardy and ftriftly perennial, and which if fepa- 

 rated in parts or pieces in ploughing, digging, or working 

 the land, each part will, when left fre(h in the foil, often 

 grow or vegetate, and produce a new plant ; and by its ftill 

 more numerous feeds which are feathered, will fly and 

 be carried to a great diftance by the wind ; and when it 

 becomes calm alighting upon cultivated land, will there 

 vegetate and rife luxuriantly, fo that it would be in vain for 

 any perfon to attempt clearing his land of this weed, unlefs 

 his neighbours did the fame likewife : however, the roots of 

 this weed may, it is faid, be pretty effeftually deftroyed by 

 a well-managed fummer-fallow, as they will not furvive re- 

 peated ploughings up in hot weather ; and if due attention 

 were beftowed to prevent the feeding of the weed, its num- 

 bers might be dimini(hed very greatly : it is found very 

 hurtful to all field-crops. Some think it eafily conquered, 

 however, by proper management and attention in tillage- 

 lands, and that it may either be drawn by the tool for that 

 purpofe, or be cut oif deep by the hoe or fpeed-hook. 



It is fuppofed, on the authority of the Flora Ruftica, that 

 the goat and the afs will eat it ; that horfes will fometimes 

 crop the heads while young and tender ; but that no other 

 fort of cattle touch it growing. That when burnt, it is 

 faid to yield a very pure vegetable alkali. See Serratcjla 

 and Thistle. 



Spear, bur, or boar thijlles, are weeds of a very pernicious 

 nature in corn-lands, m many inftances and parts of the 

 kingdom. They are faid to be called by the laft of thefe 

 names in Stafford (hire, to diftinguiih them from the above 

 weeds, which are likewife termed thiftles. There are feveral 

 forts of them, and they often abound about the hedge-fides 

 and borders of corn-fields, whence they (hould be rooted up 

 after rain as much as poffible, before their feeds ripen and 

 are ready to fpread, otherwife fuch feeds are hable to fly all 

 over the country, as has been feen : thefe are weeds that 

 grow very luxuriantly, drawing much from the ground or 

 foil, when among the crops, as is frequently the cafe in 

 many places. They fliould always be drawn out as much 

 as can be done in fuch cafes in hot weather : they are moftly 

 weeds of the annual or biennial kinds. It is faid by Wither- 

 ing, in fpeaking of the ufes of them, that (hould a heap of 

 clay be thrown up, notliing would grow upon it for feveral 

 years, did not the feeds of the fpear thiftle, wafted by the 

 wind, fix and vegetate thereon ; that under the (helter of 

 thefe, other vegetables appear, and the whole foon becomes 

 fertile. 



They are never to be trufted among crops, but be kept 

 well cut or pulled up in their early growth. See Carduus 

 Lanceolatus, Pratenjis, and Acaulis. Alfo Thistle. 



Colt's-foot is a weed that is very apt to abound in hard 

 tilled land. It has been faid that the only time to deftroy 

 this weed, is by cutting it up in thofe months when it 

 begins to throw out its flower, at which time, if fo cut, it 



will 



