Weeds. 



All troublesome weeds do not possess all these characters, but they all 

 possess some one or more of them. Any newly introduced plant known 

 to possess any one of these characters should be regarded with suspicion- 

 The well-known live-forever (sedum telephiam) is a good example 

 of a plant tenacious of life. It does no good to dig it up or plow it 

 up and leave it lying on the ground. It will grow again as if nothing 

 had happened. It has been known to put forth branches while lying 

 in the drying papers of the plant press. Some weeds quite tenacious 

 of life may be killed by pulling them up or digging them up in a very 

 dry time, but the live-forever is not one of them. It is sometimes 

 seen growing in patches about stone heaps, or along the margin of 

 outcropping rocks where the plants have been thrown, under the er- 

 roneous supposition that they could not live in such places. Fortunately 

 this plant does not spread rapidly, and is not very abundant. The purs- 

 lane, also, is very tenacious of life, and it is useless to attempt its 

 destruction in wet weather by digging it up and leaving it on the 

 ground. 



Rapidity of growth is the chief characteristic which makes some 

 weeds troublesome and difficult to exterminate. Their development 

 is so rapid that they grow up and mature a crop of seeds almost before 

 their presence has been noticed. Some biennials behave in this way. 

 During the first season they form a mere tuft of leaves lying close to 

 the ground and a stout root in which is stored an abundant supply of 

 plant food. Such modest behavior attracts little or no attention, and 

 the plant passes the season in safety. With the advent of spring it 

 draws upon its stored supplies of food and sends up its seed bearing 

 stem with great rapidity. Some annuals follow this example. The 

 shepherds' purse is generally regarded as an annual plant, and, as 

 such, it should perfect its seed and die in one season. But it is 

 not unusual for it to commence its growth so late in the season 

 that it scarcely has time to perfect its seed before winter sets in. 

 It then patiently waits for the return of warm weather, having in 

 the meantime developed a good, strong root, a thrifty tuft of leaves 

 and the rudiment of a flower stem. As soon as the snow has disap- 

 peared, it begins its growth again, and before the garden is plowed it 

 has perfected a crop of seeds. I have specimens of this plant in flower 

 which were collected in the vicinity of Albany on the 30th day of 

 March, 1890. The chickweed, though properly an annual plant, often 

 Jives through the winter and fruits early in the spring, so that he who 

 ^ould extirpate these double-dealing plants from his garden must be 

 vigilant and active. The common groundsel {senecio vulgaris), is not 



