38 



WEEDS. 



flowering stems. The recommendation oiven in the former 

 weed, is now repeated, that the land be repeatedly grubbed 

 and scarified in contrary and cross directions, in order to 

 drag the weeds " entire " to the surface, and then to be carted 

 oif the field, in order to be burned or decomposed in an 

 earthy mass. The roots are vivacious beyond any example, 

 and require the most minute care that every twig of them, 

 however small, be most carefully picked off the land, and 

 removed. 



The roots of the common grasses become weeds on arable 

 lands, and farmers designate them all by the common name 

 of quickens " and " couch grass." Next to the two grass 

 weeds now mentioned, the roots of the "Agrostis" family 

 form the weed of the greatest abundance on damp loams, 

 where they grow very vigorously. The roots are black in 

 colour, fibrous and creeping, and throw oat shoots from the 

 joints, and are very tenacious of life. They are most gener- 

 ally called " bent grass." 



32. The Wild oat, or haver," or the " Avena fataa " of 

 botany, is not uncommon as a weed on badly cultivated lands. 

 Being perennial, and having a creeping root, it can only be 

 reduced and banished by very careful fallowing of the land, 

 and by picking off every root. And all root plants, or those 

 that are propagated chiefly by the roots, are only to be eradi- 

 cated by that process. 



It may be laid down as a general rule, that in the case of 

 annual weeds which produce a great profusion of seeds, the 

 chief care is to be directed to prevent the perfecting of them, 

 by cutting and pulHng the plants when considerably grown in 

 size, and even to remove them from the field altogether, as the 

 roots are so very apt to catch hold of the earth, and grow 

 again, and even perfect the seeds, so fai' as to render them 

 capable of germination. And in the case of perennial plants, 

 which are propagated chiefly by the roots, the most diligent 

 and minute care must be used, to pick by hand and carry 

 from the field every inch of roots of any kind, after they 

 have been separated from the earth by the repeated use of the 

 implements that have been recommended. 



