THE ERADICATION OF CHARLOCK. 



A most useful discovery has been lately made of the 

 destructive effect of solutions of sulphate of copper and of 

 sulphate of iron upon that ubiquitous and troublesome weed 

 known as " Charlock/' " Cadlock," " Kilk," "Yellows," and by 

 other local names. No description of this weed is necessary. 

 All farmers know it, and the difficulty of eradicating it, 

 unfortunately, too well. It is a cruciferous plant, and is 

 termed Sinapis arvensis, Linn, or Brasszca stnapistrum, Boiss. 

 In France it is called Moutardc des champs > in Germany 

 Ackersenf. Its seeds have a somewhat thick testa or outer 

 skin, and, like those of some other weeds and plants, have the 

 power of retaining their vitality for a very long time if light, 

 air, and moisture are withheld from them, and there are many 

 authentic records of the sudden appearance of charlock on 

 land freshly broken up, where the seeds must have been long 

 buried deeply in the ground. Sometimes it suddenly appears 

 in quantities in fields, almost choking the crop and covering 

 the ground with its yellow flowers, although it had not been 

 prevalent there for some seasons. A deeper ploughing than 

 usual, or trenching, has brought the seeds within the reach of 

 oxygen. The utility of sulphate of copper for the destruction 

 of this baneful weed was first discovered in France two years 

 ago by a vine grower, who, having sprayed his vines, noticed 

 that charlock plants growing beneath them were killed by the 

 spray. Experiments were thereupon made in France and 

 Germany on charlock among corn and other plants. These 

 proved satisfactory ; and last year trials were made in this 

 country : in Northumberland by Dr. Somerville, of the 

 Durham College of Science ; in Essex under the auspices of 

 the Tpr-hnical Education Committee ; and in Lancashire, by 



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