THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
175 
a pasture. We have seen fields all white from the presence 
of the wee modest crimson-tipped flower ” looking so bright 
in the sunshine, with its silvery stars dotting the green field, 
that we have been ready to exclaim, “ Surely this cannot be 
a weed ?” But, alas, all is not gold that glitters or silver 
that is bright, for on the spot where a daisy is growing a 
grass-root is not. 
2. Diluent plants. — This offers a somewhat large list, as all 
the plants found in the pastures which have a tall growth, and 
have no mechanical hindrances or any poisonous qualities, 
must be ranged under this head. 
Table of Plants which take up space. 
Botanical Name. Trivial Name. 
Remarks > 
Rumex specs . . . Docks . . 
Arctium lappa . . . Burdock . . 
Petasites vulgaris . Butter Burr 
Heraclium Sphondylium Cow Parsnip 
Antkriscus vulgaris . Wild Parsley 
Cardamine pratensis . Ladies’ Smock 
Rhinantkus Christigalli Yellow Battle 
Everywhere. 
The borders of fields. 
By water-courses. 
These and other Um- 
belliferse are common 
and most unsightly. 
In wet meadows. 
In very poor meadows. 
These, though only offered by way of examples, yet, in 
themselves, they make up a formidable list of plants injurious 
to the pasture ; their large leaves and stems, in most, take up 
much room to the injury of the grass, and though it is quite 
true that they go far in making up weight in the trusses of 
hay, yet the hay will always be of an inferior description, 
whilst the coarser parts will be rejected. In fields where 
plants of this character prevail we shall often have a good 
pasturage for cattle, that is, the animals will get on well on 
the grasses , of which only they will partake, and then one is 
too apt to be astonished that good feeding meadows should 
yield a poor hay, with the fourth of its weight and hulk 
of these objectionable plants ! These, then, should be 
rooted out, for where a plant of no use can and does grow, it 
takes up the space which should and would be occupied by 
better species. 
3. Plants mechanically injurious. — Among these the most 
prominent will be the thistles and nettles. As regards the 
thistles it will readily be understood that their pointed spines 
are objectionable in hay, and even the young leaves of these 
seem not to be eaten by the cow or the horse, though cer- 
tainly the ass does not object to them. 
To show the injury they inflict, both to the pasture and 
the rick, it will only be necessary to quote the following i 
