36 



WEEDS. 



Fanicle half-whorled, the branches consequently leaning one 

 way. Flowers scariose, shimng, not downy ; anthers purple, 

 pendulous. The male floret has the rudiments of a germen, 

 and is always conspicuously awned ; the other is but slightly 

 elevated. When the land is rich, this plant grows luxuriantly, 

 and acquires more joints and bulbs, and has been called 

 " Holcus bulbosus," though only a variety of the plant now 

 described. 



This, grass flowers in June and July, and forms a large part 

 of the weeds which pass under the general denomination of 

 ^' couch" and " quickens." No weed is more troublesome to 

 the farmer on the better turnip soils, and on the more loamy 

 clay fallows. The root is perennial, and composed of knobs 

 or bulbs that are joined together at distances by intervening 

 threads, and from each bulb shoots proceed, which circum- 

 stance renders the extirpation of the weed to be very difficult 

 and tedious. Repeated ploughings and harrowings of the 

 land become necessary, and then a very careful hand-picking 

 of the roots of the plant after they have been well shaken into 

 view by the action of the implements. On stiffish soils which 

 hold the weed tightly in their texture, the sharp irons of the 

 plough are very apt to cut the fibres into small pieces, which 

 very much increase the difficulty of getting the land cleared 

 of the weed. Accordingly on all lands whose degree of mel- 

 lowness admits the action of a grubbing scarifier, the round 

 tires of that implement tear out and pull to the surface the 

 roots and fibres of the plant, without cutting or breaking 

 them, and at the same time the ground is very superiorly 

 pulverised. The roots are very tenacious of life, and no de- 

 gree of arid exposure will destroy the vital principle. De- 

 composition in a heap along with other earthy matters, re- 

 quires to be very minutely inspected at each turning over of 

 the heap ; for some roots are very apt to escape on the out- 

 side of the compost, and which being carried to the land, 

 will immediately grow, and multiply very fast. Even the 

 burning of the roots in heaps on the field is not thoroughly 

 safe : for the outside may escape ignition, and grow as before. 

 The most effectual method is to carry the roots off* the field 



