THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. 
quickly dissipated by the beams of the sun. This pheno- 
menon only occurs during the hottest part of summer. 
C. — The farmer begins to see some promise of a reward 
for his exertions ; the potatoes have been in blossom for se- 
veral days^ and so have the peas ; oats and wheat are com- 
ing into ear. At a short distance beyond Sherbrooke, I saw 
a field of wheat in ear^ as early as the 6th of this month. 
F. — A field of potatoes in blossom has^ in my opinion^ a 
very fine appearance,, from the rich luxuriance of the vegeta- 
tion ; the dark green hue contrasting with the delicate 
lilac blossom. The regularity of the rows adds to the effect^ 
if they are kept clean and free from weeds ; but this is a 
difficult task, and requires a great deal of attention and 
labour. 
C. — What are the chief weeds we have to contend with ? 
F, — I have already mentioned the Canada Thistle 
C Cnicus Arvensis J ; but even that vile plant is not so bad 
as the Burrweed (Galeopsis TetrahitJ, which is spreading 
over our fields^, and ruining our farms. This is a vigorous 
plants growing from a creeping root^ which is^ I believe, 
perennial ; though the plant is annual ; it has a tall branchy 
stem, and leaves like those of a nettle ; it bears a pretty 
white labiate flower^, succeeded by large burrs or seed-ves- 
sels, covered, when ripe, with hard, sharp prickles, defying 
the touch. It produces seeds in most prolific abundance, 
which are unfortunately scattered before our grain is cut ; 
and as it spreads from the root as well as the seed, there 
appears no way to eradicate it, but pulling up every plant. 
But in doing this, the root often breaks, and leaves a part in 
the ground, to become the progenitor of a new stock of 
weeds. Besides this, wherever this spinous weed grows with 
wheat or other grain, a great deal of the latter is obliged to 
be wasted, as it cannot be reaped ; for no man can put his 
hand into a bed of burrweed with impunity. In short, 
