COMMON WEEDS 
Descriptions and Drawings of Use in the Identification of Weeds 
That Are Commonly Found Around the Buildings 
and in the Plantings of the Farmstead. 
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INTRODUCTION 
EED PLANTS illustrated and briefly discussed in previous editions 
of the Seed Trade Buyers Guide have been grouped for some 
common quality or character. This present group is rather nondescript 
but nevertheless, the individuals are common and widespread, and 
perhaps assume more importance in some areas than in others, due to 
types of farming, crops grown, soil and weather conditions as well as 
the human element. 
When one learns that 90% or more of our common weed plants are 
not native to North America and that they have adapted themselves 
to their new homes and taken possession of the fields, meadows, pastures 
and waste places, he must realize that a knowledge of their structures 
and habits of life are necessary to successfully compete with them. Weeds 
are the cause of considerable loss to the farmers in extra labor, reduced 
yields and lower quality of produce. In hunting and fishing, to get the 
most satisfaction, one must know the habits of the game he seeks. Just 
so, is it necessary to know the intimate life habits of weed plants to be 
able to contend most successfully with them. With this in mind the follow- 
ing brief discussion of a few weed plants is presented. 
By 
A. H. LARSON, LAMBERT ERICKSON 
and R. B. HARVEY 
Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. 
SOK 
Assistance in the preparation of this material was furnished by the personnel of the Work 
Projects Administration, Official Project No. 65-1-71-140. Sponsor: University of Minnesota. 
Percentages thruout are taken from a Weed-Seed Survey covering the period 1933-1938 in- 
clusive. References to commercial seed are exclusive of seed corn, beans, and other large seeds. 



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