WEED. 



will bleed to death ; thefe months are February and March, 

 at which time all land in fallow, which is fubjeft to this 

 weed, fliould undoubtedly be ploughed and harrowed down, 

 which would, without doubt, check the growth of, and 

 Tery much weaken the weed ; but when neglefted at this 

 period, it will foon afterwards ripen its feeds, which fur- 

 nifhed by nature with feathers, fly all over the country, and 

 eftabhfli themfelves very quickly on cultivated land, and 

 banks of earth newly thrown up. This weed may, it is 

 faid, be confiderably weakened by repeated fummer plough- 

 ing, and be afterwards, for the moll part, weeded out by 

 hand, as the ground is thus rendered light. It is a weed 

 which in Gloucefterfhire is not found, except on foils that 

 are poor in their nature, and fubje<3. to moifture. The 

 obvious remedies are confequently fertilization by manure 

 and the removal of wetnefs by draining. See Tussilago 

 Farfara. 



Groundfel is a mifchievous and troublefome difgufting 

 weed, not unfrequently found in fallows, on good free foils 

 rendered fine by cultivation, as its feeds ripen quickly in 

 fuch cafes, and fly over the country with the wind : it is a 

 weed that fliould be got quit of in time by being pulled out, 

 or turned under by the plough, and the feed of it be by no 

 means permitted to ripen and difperfe. See Senecio 

 Vulgaris. 



Corn marigold, goulans, goul, or buddle in Norfolk, is an 

 extremely troublefome weed in fome foils : it is an annual, 

 producing feeds plentifully, which vegetate whenever the 

 land is cultivated, and very commonly in the crops of corn : 

 it would, without doubt, it is fuppofed, be deftroyed, as 

 other annual feedling weeds, by early and complete fallowing 

 to bring the feeds into vegetation in due time, and after- 

 wards ploughing them under. According to Withering, in 

 Denmark, there is a law to oblige the farmers to root it up : 

 and it is faid to be ftated in the fccond volume of the 

 " Statifl;ical Account of Scotland," that the late fir Wilham 

 Grierfon, of Lag, held goul courts as long as he lived, for 

 the purpofe of fining fuch farmers on whofe growing crop 

 three heads or upwards of this weed were found ; and it 

 has been obferved, that fome regulation of pohce for fining 

 thofe who harbour weeds, the feeds of which may be blown 

 into their neighbour's grounds, has no injuftice in the prin- 

 ciple of it. 



It is ftated in the Berkfliire Correfted Report on its Agri- 

 culture, that it may be deftroyed by the application of 

 chalk as a manure, as well as by extirpation. 



On the authority of the Flora Ruftica it is noticed, that 

 if this weed be cut when young in flower, and dried, horfes 

 will eat it. See Chrysanthemum Sfgetum. 



Corn mint is a weed that is faid by the writer of the Cor- 

 refted Report of the Agriculture of the County of Gloucefter, 

 to be common on damp foils ; and that it increafes faft by 

 the root, where, for want of frequent ploughing, dragging, 

 and other tillage, it is neglefted. See Mentha Arvenjts. 



Corn camomocle is a weed that is fometimes prevalent in 

 corn-fields : it is very prolific in feeds, which {hould never 

 be fuffered to flied, as in that cafe it would be multiplied to 

 an almoft endlefs degree. See Anthemis Arvenfis. 



Stinting May-weed is a plant of this kind that is common 

 in corn-fields among the crops, but which is often con- 

 founded with the above and other weeds of that fort, from 

 which it is to be diftinguiftied by its difagreeable fmell : it 

 IS very injurious to corn-crops, and fliould be prevented or 

 deftroyed by good fallowing, or by being timely rooted out 

 of the land. The Gloucefter Report on its Agriculture 

 ftates, that maithe or mathern there often overruns a whole 

 field, particularly when planted with peas, fo that only the 



white bloffom of the weed is to be feen. The only chance 

 of deftroying this ftinking weed is, it is fuppofed, by the 

 drill huftjandry, where room is left for the free ufe of the 

 hoe. In the broadcaft mode the weeds muft be pulled out 

 by the hand, which is not only tedious, but, in fome raea- 

 fure, dangerous, as there is a noxious quality in the plant 

 which is liable to injure the hands of the weeders, if they 

 happen to have fores on them. See Anthemis Cotula and 

 Matricaria Chamomilla. 



Blue bottle is a weed that is common in corn where the 

 tillage of the land has been imperfeft, or too long carried 

 on, and continued without cleaning by means of turnips or 

 fallow : it is an annual weed with a fomewhat elegant blue 

 flower. It is very common in the corn-fields of Shropfhire 

 and Lancafliire, as well as in fome other counties. It is 

 faid that, in Glouceilerfliire, blue bonnet, knapweed, or 

 corn flower, is a weed common in fome fields, principally 

 where the foil is loamy and mixed with pebbles. It is ad- 

 vifed to be extirpated at firft by the hoe, and, when grown 

 to bloffom, by the hand. See Centaurea Cyanus. 



Great knapweed is a perennial corn weed, growing in 

 tufts of many ftems or ftalks from the fame root ; and 

 which is to be deftroyed in the fallow, or by being weeded 

 out of the crop. See Centaurea Scaliofa. , 



Panfy is an annual flower weed that is often found 

 among corn-crops in different diftrifts, where it is produced 

 by feeds that have not been deftroyed in the preparation for 

 the corn-crop. It is feldom very hurtful, but when abun- 

 dant fliould be weeded out in fome way or other. The 

 beauty of the colours of its flowers has gained it a place us 

 an ornamental plant. See ViOLA Tricolor. 



Corn horfe-iail is a weed often met with in corn-land, the 

 fertile ftem of which appearing early in the fpring, with 

 that of colt's-foot, and decaying before the other part of 

 the plant appears. The author of the paper already 

 noticed ftates, that Loefel fays, if ewes in lamb eat it, abor- 

 tion is the confequence ; but it is believed that ftieep or 

 cows will not eat it, unlefs compelled by hunger. It is to 

 be deftroyed by the fame kind of tillage and extirpation, as 

 that recommended for colt's-foot. In the Gloucefter 

 Report on Agriculture, it is ftated to be found only on raoift 

 foils, and cannot be eafily overcome, but by draining and 

 completely removing the wetnefs. See Equisetum Ar- 

 venjis. 



Fern is a weed not uncommon in corn-fields on dry fandy 

 land : it is a hardy perennial plant, tenacious of growth, and 

 ftriking a long tap root into the ground, beneath the reach 

 of the plough, which flioots up vigoroufly when the fun 

 becomes powerful : it prevails largely and ftrongly on fome 

 deep dry hazel loamy foils. In order to deftroy it, after 

 foaking rain, it fliould be drawn or deeply ploughed up ; 

 though, in fome cafes, it will require much pains and atten- 

 tion to get quit of it, efpecially on land where it has been 

 eftabliflied for a great length of time. See Pteris Aqui' 

 Una. 



There are different other weeds which are occafionally 

 met with in lands of this fort, but which, as their nature, 

 habits, and effefts, have not been well or fully afcertained, 

 they have not been noticed here. 



Weeds injurious in Meadonv and Pafture Lands. — From its 

 not having yet been fully and exaftly decided which are to 

 be confidered as noxious and hurtful, and which beneficial 

 and ufeful plants, in the herbage of grafs-lands, it may be 

 proper and of utility to confider them under the heads of 

 fuch as are really found prejudicial in fuch Ctuations, and 

 fuch as have not been difcovered to be aftually fo, and the 

 particular qualities of whieh are not well known. 



Hh i Of 



