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Las diagrammas suivsnts illustrant la mithoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 . ?'^^:::^SL'i^SMi MiatOCOfY tCSOlUTION TEST CHAtT (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No 2) ^ >^PPLIED IM/CE Inc ■6'jJ [as' Mu- 5t-w Roches'*'. \*m 'ork ^ »fc09 j^A ' ?16} *8i; - 050C - Phone ';n6} 288 - 5989 - 1q* OOICDHON or CANADA DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE SEED BRANCH QBO. H. CLARK, Seed GooMniaiioiMr. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS ILLUSTRATED AND DESCRIBED BULLETIN No. S-8 r. ltl«. PuMMwJ fcy the «Hwrt— of tiw Hon. Martia BoirtU, Minister of Agriculttii* OttiiM. C«Mda. DOMINION OF CANADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SEED BRANCH GEO. H CLARK, Seed Commissioner. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS ILLLSTR.\TED AND DESCRIBED n .' ♦ . / / BULLETIN No. S-8 Dv;-tni:)er. I9I4. Pu'ilish-rl by tin -iircction of the Hon. Martin Burrell, Minister of Agriculture 0;ta-.v.i. Cm I In. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. OFFKE of SkKI) ("OMMISSIONKH, Ottawa, Canada, Dcccmlxr i», 1914. To the Honouriililc Mautin Bi hkkll. Minister of Agriculture. Sir, -I hav<> the honour to submit her-witii nuinuscript uiiich has hecn prepanM in acconhu.ce with your instructions for huUetin on wc.mIs aiul weed .seeds. It has heeii the aim to present in convenient form for reference the essential matter contained in tlw expensively illustrated hook "Farm Weeds " the second edition of which is now exhausted. In addition, much new infor- mation pertaininK to the problem of weeds and their dissemination, that has Krown out of investigation and research work conducted hv vour officers of tins liranch, has heen included in summary form. " " " printed for general distribution. I recommend that it be I have the honour to be. Sir, Your obedient .servant, CiEO. H. CLAKK, Seed Commissioner. 71()20— 2 148934 yifel'gfeJWgflM UIMIifcigBEaii^BiLr WLEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Illustrated and Described. to k..,.p the w.,.,ls on t Hr ;;rn,r ;{' r'''' T"" '"' '•""•^^''.''^'y »» th. alert spread' of new varieties In io.s v \ '.: 1 "T"'"' ! "" '"f':"/^"''^'"" an.i tl..- quality an.l value of ,• r p „ ..hi »:, t ^T "T ^'■"''''' •'•■P'-<"''i'it«' the s.,il of plant foo.l Hn.l , f u'.istT.r • ^ "f I'roduction. Thev roh taking „p ivat^i fit ir "^ 'w;itin;;r;i?:;^ •»• more usefnl plants, heint h-.r.li r • n I ,? ' ' '•'I""'"'"": th<'y '-"ifif'; they increase .Tops l.e..ause of le , "e n e f u ;l<'Pn'^ iy on fartns. and H.u ,lep ? iat e v £ TuT''^'"''''' ""'.' "" '"-^ ""^^i^''' stoek. while others are i.^uri ms their . . I ' """"i ''•'*'''" '""^ ^'"•■"'f"' »<• M-ts and harbour fu,?«usZ.a:..s " "'""'""■'' "''''''^ "»*'•'"•» i"J""""^ New weeds are introdueed on farm> „,. - ial feedinti I hey are spread from district ti i~:'t:n i;:w;is^:;;d'':!;!i;r:3\hrS'y;r 'i'-"'y ■" ^♦'' pl.m.-.ts. The win.l .'arnes s;,m ' , "'^'V r*" '"ach.nes and farm in.- ."-r l.ut with .IriftiuK s ii;. "!/:': ^ ""t «nly in sum- -listril.ute them aloMK th.'i ,;, rses T , v r r""'.'" ^'"♦•''■- ^♦^''•'"i^ animals, through the st mac ' f wh , ' th 7 '''^"•'•'"<<::' ''-V f'-rhivrous atta..h then.selves l.v spec .Meo.tri ... T'' ' .'"'T V"'''«''''"'''; "^ ""-v spiues. «ununy -x.-retio .s ^c , ' ' .^ ^^ .: Ij l,.;!: '"""'<"'' ""<' '-l..'d hairi, in- • listnct through various transportation facili stahh W. Classification and Eradication. Icn^ith of time thev ive, as annuals ens ar<' classified accordinjj to the or one year plants: l.iennials. or tw..-ve-,r nhint..- .,.,,1 . ' "•"■i '^"' .vear plants. |„ eradicalintt w.vds it . , f 1 ; l"''-''""ials. or manv- "Md.r which of these h;.ads ,h,! ",.;,' ' "^ "'" <"''''"■'' nnpor.ance to ascertain 'NM AI.S Annuals cotiipl.t.' their growth in rous roots and produce a " I vear. iMLn. ,n...„fl.,. f )- ".'"'''• ""> ''•■'^■'' ''"'all lih- """uals. are true aunu.ds „ ( ,'; , J, ' ' "■ '^""T " '"' """'■'' «""■ '" • -'.•-■u'a::yt;;;:-d';:;:;!;:r:;:i[:r!.'-^^ '■:'--■ ■■■• ■■■■■•■■■ ■■:■■'■ vc.inK pi.nt, .iesi.nycd iM.loiv they produce s:,;[ '"■" '' "^"'''"- * .1 I ..'/-■ ■-.^<': ?^^r!?SEu^3Sv?s5r^ WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. BIENNIALS. second season in P"'f --« fl-<'-Vi"winrtt^h Hn ' v^ n year, or cut down before they flower. Mowmp. at ^'"'" n Lch plants shoul.l he cut off below tlie crown ..f th.- root. I'KHENNIALS. Perennials are those plants which contin.u. to »^;;- ^'' V^i:^;^^;:'';;,,.^;':^; are propagate.l ni several -^;^^^:;;» j^J.rwhie^S'othrrr'n.m System distinct modes of (^'"''^j; ' ' " "^^ a ,1 1 .S^^ e h..se which ext.-n.l long under- is near the surface. He '"'';*;"" :^'^^;'^^,\" the ground, as Cana.la thistle. iiiliipiiHii ^^''"'pl:n:;;.^Nrt'n;Uh:T.s;"r:S!^^ ..f .H weeds and re..uire.,hor- SiiiiiiiPiilii ..ultivation that will l<'"'f, «>"'.'-""V" •,*;;, ,' "^.V^r .n,,,,, "l wee.ls will, how- -li::;;:.;::;;;.: to':;>::Hn:;;ru::;;:S^.um^at^ pn-ve„t t,. growth "^ '"iM^lnH t.ke in n.ost of their fco.l through their leaves. P.-n.uual plants wlnchSfo^'many years, l.ve special -^-voj;- ;;- --;; ';^, - ^:i:::;;^ elaboration, ,s st-uvd .n -''' ' ;;;j3,;'; '^■^,; ; ^^ ^.^^^ n,ainly by T'" "::\!^:'S r'':;':^:7:t "SrisC"; ' l-lants J. therefore in their i:^:^ ::n.dhi \ when they have largely exhausted their reserve supply of fool and have not had time to r.'i)lenish it. plowM.g will be most effective .s when h. Itrowth but before th.- seed-, which Wouhl b, to mature. Summer tallowlnft The stage of growth, then, when r flowering stems have made full •i source of danger, have had time The practice of -^ununcr-fallowing lanti whatever may .1.. be >aiil against it, .B„r.i:.i.v lu-i "I'l." 'i.- '•• ■T;",r,;i;''s;;;;;;,,"t;.'ik.«- 'ili '™.tiK''i. ".'I.'.' Ei-s.rT,;:?. :E::;,t,i:..t;:™t.;:i"" ■- - ' «>■•» « under control. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. I ho amount and nature of tlic cultivation of a summer-fallow will depend on the hal.it.-. of the vvee.ls, the kind of .soil, and the elimatie conditions In some extreme eases of perennial weeds, it may l.<. advisable to allow the plants to exhaust their reserve vigor by growth until the Howers are formed, then cut and remove the surface growth, plow to the depth of four or five inches and l.ring th.. rootstocks to th.- surface before they have had time to renew growth After . utting and removing the surface growth cultivators mav, after several applications, be forced to the bottom of th<. furrow, thus un.^arthing the network of rootstocks. Perennial weds having t km,l> of w |s fn„n rip..ni„g more than a r.-hi- ivcly small number of see.ls. ami the number of vital weed te.ls in the s b", - •e soil will rap., ly .l....rea.s.. fn.m y..ar to y.ar. If p..n.Mnial w,...,ls ar,. all . IM.. ah.iit. It w.,ul. b.. W..II t., pastuiv with sh,...p an. ,w th.. roughag.. closHv ea.'h y.'ar. b..f,.r.. th,. spring gn.wth has f,,rni,..l s....,|s. *^ ^ Farm Implements to Destroy Weeds. Th.. b,.s| lirn.. t.) .I.vinty w....i|> i« pair ,if l,.,.|v,.s has form. ..I on ' within two ..r tlove .lav> after th.. first f,. , ,. , - Iliiig plant, in friable >,,i|s th,. "w,.,..|,.r" is a us,.ful ■mpl..,n..nt l,.r that puipos... Th.. -tiltin-r" |,arr.,w is al ., sa f ,,„rv ..!>.> l.inl. \\,..,1. an. iri,.gular in tim.. of g..rminati.Mi : .■o.,s,.,|u,.ntlv it i, nV.v. K , , '"'^ "f ;■"'.•",•■"" ' '•'■'■'■■■'I *f'.'i"^ «h..n s.,wn with a .Irill na.\ a.h,.mt,.,g,.,,u.ly I,.. tr..at...l with s,..'!. w...! .h.Mn.v.rs „„.■.. or tw,..,. b,.f, r,'. the ..rop .hs,M,..tly >h„w. ab.,v.. th,. gr.-un.l, ,,„,! auai.,'. with V„ Jl . . . Kraui h,.a\v .'•i-. »!,.„ I i,,- plants ..,,,, ,,ir..,. I., mx ,„..h..s high JAvn r,.|aliv,.|v .arn.w. .,r.linanly ,n u-,. will .h. littl.. .I..,mag,. to th,. p.-fit ,.'.,;,. III.. ..i.'p III .mI.!iIm,ii I,, III.. .|..~tni,ti,„i ,,( Ih.. «,,,|,. 8 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. For perennial weeds or sccdlinss that have become well rooted, a eultivator having diamond shaped or other relatively hroad sha. • is needed for hoed <'«"<>P'^- The dise is a favoured iinpleni(>nt for destroying \ .'eds in a summer-fallow or in preparing a see.l bed. When, however, it is desired to unearth and re- move the rootstoeks of perennial weeds such as couch (irass, a narrow-toot iied cultivator, that will loosen the soil and bring the untlcrgnnmd vegetation to the surface, is preferred to an implement that will cut the rootstoeks. the small cuttings of which may be exceedingly persistent in growth. Weed Seeds in Seed Grain. One of the principal reasons wliv weeds are not brought un(h'r Ix'tler <'on- trol on farm lands is because such large numbers of their seeds are i)Ut into the soil through lack of care in ordiiiarv farm ()i)erations. The use of seed gram that has not been well cleaned is responsible for the introduction of many new weeds and the increase of tlu»e already in the land. In the spring of litUi an iiKpiirv was conducted by the Seeil Hiancli to a.--- certain the sources of supplv and the qualitv of the flax and grain used for s('ed. Samples rcpre.se .' . . a> accuratelv as possible, the average seed being used in the districts vi; ..! .vere taken from over 2.(KH) farmers throughout Canada and forwarded to tne Ottawa seed laboratory where they were tested. According to this incpiirv, alioiit 7.")', of Canadian fanners gro.v their own seed grain. Most of the grain and tiax purchased for seed is sei'ureown with -eed gram is shown l>y a summary of the tests of the samples collected. Of the 07S sami)les .)f oats analvzed, 547, or .'>()'; .contained seeds of weeds cla-sed as noxious umler tlie Seed' Control .\ct. the highest number being l.SliS per pound and the average 7. With tilis w.'ed se I content and the rate of seeding reported, weed seed~ Would lie placed on the lai 1 at ;tn aver- age rate of over .V2 noxious and 2~() other sorts per -(|uare rod. SeuiN weed -eeds. tile iugliest number being ll,.-.JS per pound and the .•iveraiie 7U. either weed -ee.ls were found III I..t, or nearly ,M) , of the samples, the hils-e-t number lieillg 17. tl.') per pouiKl ami the average .i\.\ per pound. With tlii- weed - I content and the rate ot -eedne: lejtorteil, the weed seeds plai'cd on tile land w.iuhl averjige about .")(» noxious ami •-'20 < sorts per sipiaif i<"i. Kai.i. Wiikat; With fall wheat the impurities were not nearly ■ Onlv 20 samples were collected, all from Ontario an>l mostly from the part of the province. Thirty-even per cent of ihe-e coiitaim'd noxious w 1 seeds, the higlie-l number being i7ii pir poun.l and the average ii It her high, -tern rc' WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 9 p"r^"poun,r'"''' '"■'■'' "■"''' ^'"^ '"'■*^'''* '"""'"■■ ''^''"'^ ^^" ""'^ **"' "^•'''■«Ke 68 14 i t!"''f''^r lo-''' '«cl' "'''■'■ ''rP'"":'='"y Pr..val.>iit in the flax samples. Out of 144 t,> ,.,i, l_<„r 88' ,.„ntain..,l n<.xi.,us wocl seeds, th.- larK..s nu.nlHT per ...".1 be,n,r ,.,.424 and the average (i(;2. OtluT weed s,.eds Jr. pre " t inTl X r 87 "wi'th'H '"'""* ;"""'"■'■ '"■"'? '=*'"«-* I'"'- l'"""<' ='■'-' ♦•'" »ver- . II . ", "■'■;'"' ^•■•''l <•<">»<■"♦ iKxl tlie rate of seeding rep<.rt.Ml the »4U other sorts per s(|iiare rod. Some of tliese weed se..ds are .hffieult to s..parate, hut most of them eould l.e remove.1 l.y a fannm«-nnll properly ef,uippe.l an.l well rated. T 1, hc'k of .-l.^amn^ IS m.lieated l.y the faet that n..arly II- of the lots of wheat .'ts ^•er •■ Ov 88 " w' " "T] '"T'^ ''""\ ""' ^''^•■^'"■'■- ^"♦'' "" '-I'-.i"^ w^^ he .„ , 1 1 ' ^^';';;'''l""';"' as hav.nn l..'ni eh.aned with a fanning nVill. I,ut •SI us oi else tha th.'y weiv not well operated. In a f.'w eases sample' were taken from io s that wen- to he elean..! t.efor.. sowing, so that the £ es Liv- en a hove are inaeeurate to the .-xtent to whieh weed seeds were ^en ovel ffc ^ .'i '>;•''■",""«• ""«;'v<:r. .■ompa.ison of these un,.l..aned samples with ;r;:::..m';:;"w!:;:i:,';;r;„^:::;;;:i' •'"■""^" =' ^-'-'^ -" -"-•■^ "- "'^e i™. Weed Seeds in Grasses and Clover. els tl. ;i.h I " """■'■;'=".'«.'■■• "• •"•«• ^v.'.-ls I.eing introdueed with th"e V • ; o ^""",V 'i '"'■'' !r """•'■ >-''"'''''ll.v iH.me grown. In or.linarv J:^;;;:J;;rT;s::;■u::,:■r'v;i^l:r;:i:s■t;,:^^J,;;^i!;7';-:lr"^;:^'^ .».r .„,|.,.rl,,l .„|,|,l, ,,,„„ ,„. |„|„.,| Sl„,', ",,,:: Tu^k";., •Ida lin'H''''"nel' ""T •m"'"'"" '^'I'f"^-^- -'-"■ks. '-^'t^weed eampions. Can- .Kl, t .i>t|.. .|,ekM.ed, wiM earnit. wild mustard, false (l,ax ()th r^ ir . „ •low' f '"1 ■; ■■"'"•'"■'■^' P"l" Pl-.Min. I,la,k mediek, h.dvs humi - ;„. : ' .^.•l"^^ foxtail, swe,.t elover. plantain, mavweed, l-arnva-d Lra.'s k ,twee I .T. .«ra.s, wilehgra>s eatnip, ...it-leaved geranium, i{u; ian [l i:^le , !l ' l...lMraw, l.laek bindweed, pigweed, hli.e vervain, smart weed ", [eld p^pp:": <'X-;.v.' d.MM, >tinkweed, wild ,nust;i.d. Ollurs Mh. 'k n diVk 1 . ' Hrd ' iTTr '•'"■'^^'■'■''' v'f ""'"■ ^^■■"••" '-'-I ' ,i;;.t;e::^wo,; r id^ nin : ;.o:;!n'::;'p:;i;;;;!;:;::,: ■""• '"■'"-"■ ^'"■p'"-'-^ i-r..;eatnip,oid wi,:.hg^:::s. -J^::;:;::::^^:;r;l;^;::,::^::;:;':!.,:^;;,r,,;;-:^ 10 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. ounce when >^own at the rate of 12 pounds per acre will p ace about 3b weed ^eed« on ewrv square ro.l sown, whereas No. 3 seed, containm^r the maximum num- ber of weed Iteds (80 noxious and a total of 400 per ounce), sown at the same ra[eJll place about 480 weed seeds, nearly 100 of which may be noxious, on """"'LZu's oTlimothv and clover seed containing more than 10,000 wee of the railroa.l ami thus intnxh.ce wee";';';;; of the most important m..ms of w...m1 .lispeisal. It is '-I!"-'=' '> />; "'^V' •,, . n s,-cur.Ml from town or .ity stabl.'s wh.n- .i.rty g,,,in ..r hay is fe.l. ^"; ' taminat..l with w,..l s.....ls shoul.l not !;.• brought "" '^''''''V.'T" ';,,•; ,r'''' it has b...Mi .•rush.Ml or grouml so as to .l.'stroy the vitality ot th.' we.'d s...l.. Weed Seeds in Screenings, \l.,st of tlK' w.'slcrn wh.'at ami tlax an.l niurh of th.' oats an.l barl.y en- uring th.' t.Tinh.al .l.'vators at r.)rt Willi.'.in m.i.I Port Arthur pass.s thro.igh the • .'aiiers b..for.' it is r.-sl>i,.p.'.l ...stuanl by lak.' ...; rail. I he s.iv.'n.ngs thus .btain...l amount to ..v.-r MUm tons annually. ''''%''-•'■'•='' '^,";;''';:.;'''i;;J brok.M. and >i,iunk.i. k.Tn.'l< ..f wh.'at. oats. barl.'V ami flax as vs.-ll as vatxing proi><'rli..ns of a l.irg.^ iuiinl).r .if w.mmI -.■.•.Is. ' ' A .•o.npo>it.. san.pl... .■.■,,r..s.M>.ing .,v.t ti.dOt) mn. of .civ.n.ngs /" >" ;1'<^ -paran..ns w.v ma..' ,v .ami M.V.- but .•..rnspon.l .luit.' cl..scly with thos.' n.a.l.' by sriv.'nmg s.'p- 1 aralors in lii.' ricsaloir I M.'il> ill th.' >.'ri'.'iiin«: S.'alpings .'onsiM of th.- larg.'r grams an.l w.'..l s.'.'.i> in u..' s.' .•.• mi- u tiM' f.,ll..'ving i.n.porlioMs by w.'iulit : C.V , wh.'al, 2.V , w.i.l oats, oats flax am l,.,rl..v :V, vvl.'.l ~.'.'d- ( wil.l bu.kwh.'at, lambs .,uart.'i-, sti.'ks I. Ijal nn > tar.l. prairi.' n-s.', w..lfl-.ny , gr.'al lai-w.'.'.l, .-.w ..Mkl.'!, . , slmw, .liatt, ar mustard, western fals<' flax, Hussian etc. and rockh thistle, prairie rose), and A'\ chaff, etc. Black si-eds are composed of the finer weed seeds separated from the screen- uiKs hy the use of the 1-14 inch perforated zinc screen. This material ahout 4.1' ' ' • ' - contains r laniDs (luarters, 4';, tumhlintj mustard, 2^% wild mustard, (U% of other mustards (western false flax, hare's-ear mustard, stinkweed, worm-seed mustard, shepherd's purse, pep|)erRrass), SJ',' other weeds seeds (.\merican dragonhead, hedse nettle, stiekseed. ^reen foxtail, Hussian piswcd, sow thistle, catchfly roadsi.l(. thistle, ( "anada thistle, wormwood, cinquefoil, evenini; prim- rose, pale plantain, witch urass), and ^\'[ dust and chaff. Most of the screeninns which accumulate in the elevators at the head of the lakes is shipped to rnited States ports dnrinn the i)eriod of open navisation hut some of it is shipped in cars to Ontario aiul (^uehec durinji the winter W hen the smaller weed seeds have h.rn n'lnoved, it is not difficult to ifrind the rest of the screenings so as to (h'stroy the vitalitv of nearlv all the seeds re- niainiiiK: hut many of the small ones occurring in the portion called hlack seeds are so hard and so small that their com|)lete reduction is difficult. \n eiiihth of an o'liict' <;f elevator screenings which had heen (rrouiid for chopped feed con- tained the tollowuifT numher and kinds of wee(l s Is:— tard, 2; tickseed, 1; .\('J-/»i/.v.— lumhhnc mustard. 21."); western false flax, S- wil"l-. l.amh's (luarters. |,S0: wild huckwh.at. 04: mvn fox- '•"i. !i. riitiy - tiuiiii:!. '.); (•iii.,^, *), .Xmriir: ' • • - I'ard. 7. ■-ear mustard locks, 8; •'>: tumhIinK an iliafioiiliead, i ; worm-seed mus- 71020 :{ 12 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Weed Seeds in Farm Lands. It is important to consider not onlv the large number of weed seeds sown with improperlv eleaned sriiin l>ut also those already in farm soils. Some of our worst weeds are so prolific in the production of seeds that relatively dean fields mav he hadlv contaminated in two or three years if these weeds are allowed to go to seed. For instance, a siP'-'- plant of wild mustard, stinkweed, foxtail, pigweed or campion produces from 10,000 to 20,000 seeds, wormseed mustard about 25.000. shepherd's purse about 'MMO and tumbling mustard about 1,- 500,000. With such iiroductiven(>ss. soils become (piickly infested with weed seeds, although on account of their inconspicuousness the presence of the .seeds is not fully realized. Only a careful examination will reveal their kinds and numbers. On account of the almost complete absence of data (m the prevah'nce of weed seeds in farm lands, the Seed Branch at Ottawa in the spring of 1!>14 be- gan an investigation to measure their extent in different sinls under different climatic and cultural conditi.ms. Although this investigation has only begun, it has alreadv vielded significant results. Fields w(-re seh-cted in Alberta, Sas- katchewan, Ontario and Quebec, records of their culture and cropping were obtained, and samples of soil at different depths and in different parts of each field wer(« t.-iken and examined at the Ottawa seed laboratory. In the four provinces 74 fields were scleetele, the weed seeds were sep- arated out, identified and counted. To convev some idea of the prevalence of weed see.ls in these samples four typical fields under different conditicms have been chosen and the seeds found in them are tabulated below. At Lacombe, Alta., a field was examined which had grown oats and barlev n'gularlv without summer fallow from 1004 to 1912. It was nearly alwavs fallploughed !>ut was harrowed before ploughing to sprout the weed seeds. In 1018 it was seeded to timothy and alsike. The following is a list of the numbers and kinds of weed seeds found in samples from this field. SiTil- founil in ti "z. of MirfaiT ^ciil. vols fiiunil in I'miz. lit soil lakin 2 I" :i inil;"s ilrcp. v' noticeable that the prevalence of weed seeds is nearly the same at all thrt>e depths. Six ounces of aii-tlried soil has an approximate volume of S-.")S ciibu- inches, and from the above figures it may be calculated that a stiuarc yaril of the surface inch of this field contains about 20.240 weed seeds. Near Hiantford, Ont.. samples were taken from a fieltl which Imd been in sod for six years, having either grown a cro]) of hay or been |ia>Uir.-.l < .i. ii y< ar during that time. The following wee.l see.ls were found in thtse samples. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 13 Seeds in 0 oz. ^urfaee soil. Si'eds in (i ttz. of soil 2 to .'i ineliis (1 •ep. Seeds in tS oz. of s<»il 5 ti) 7 ini'hes deep. ItaKw i i) fi7 2<) 14 n .•{ 1 lilaek l)inil\vee«l (ireen foxtail I-aily's thuiiit) <'ral)Kl'ass I.aiiil)'s (|ualters Sleepy ealelltly Knot \veeKrass I.aiiih's i|uart».unact ve.w^''l.".'"'rVT'./''''ri /■■'"" '^ *^''''' "'""■ "'"■'"''• <>"»•• "•l'"'h for the last ten jeai.s has raise,l the foUowiiiK erops: I'H)-,, m.-adow; 1000, corn (field wis fi plouKie.l in lOOo): 1007, oats; 1008, hare fallow; 1000 wint t Xat seecM vnS millet and thorouKhly cultivated after millet was removed (this treatment wn. "r?oVr'if!r'"Th" nr'"" '•"•■'';'' ^ 'V-- ''''^''■>- -'I'-^^SXfio^ anjMJH, alfalfa. 1 he followm^r .veed seeds were foun.l in samples from this I Wi-ed seeds in ti 07. of surfaee soil. Wl.ile Hlaek cockle tll'Hliek Lariihs (|iiallers Hhek hindw 1 Dandelion Canad I llli-lle Total 1 Weed s Isin.ioz. of .M.il 2 to ;j inches deep. !» While eockli. I(j lila.k niedi.k < l.aiidi's i|uarleis 4 Hlaek hindweed Weed .seeils in 11 oz. of soil at .I to 7 inches deep. Total ti W hite .-ockle S Hlaek medick •) I.aitdi's (|uarters Total 20 The prevalence of weed seeds at the three depths in this fiel,l is nricticillv tion, contains only al.out a quarter as n.anv weed se..,| fields mentioned. Kxaniination ..f .samples taken from a spot alon^r a road fence at Rouleau Kood .system of cultiva- as either of the two other Sask acro> found in tht> sampit tak en. 7l()20 ;{' 14 WKKDS AM) \VKKI> SKKDS. \ViM.,l - 1> in li <•! Mirtiii-c -nil. Sli<•k^>l•(Hl Willi iiiustMnl Harf's-ciir mu-t:irtl Slinkwinl Hkiik l>in(lwrril l,iirnli'> i|u;irli'l> Kvr tfnis.-, I'itrv.cfil Milk -puw \Vall-lli>wiT Total . . \\r, ■-' ti ,1 -riiU in 1 i,f-„il :iin.-l„-.l iiZ. ■1 p. 1 ,■) t 'il - 1- in ti nz .,f -oil , 7 inilii- ilii'p. i:il) 'f.7 sti hi: .kM'.-.l ik liiiii wn-il :i Laiiil )■- ll lartir- (111 Cli irkwrrt 1 l.iii If) l> 11 !l :i "rt-'" 'V vit.u d rini th..-.'arlv autumn usually serves f. st.mu ate >i''>>.-..nat n n si - i m.tl wee.1 see.ls an.l a eonsi.lerahle prop...t...u "f th.'m may thu> ,e dertmyed wh.-n.as l.v .leep plou^hin^ the tlirtieulty is s.mply .leffrn-.l to su. - ""'Th.'I;-miination of wee.l as well as other s Is is affeete.l l^' lu.at. Many kintls o^v^s'tls.suehas some of the «ra,se. and --t-''^ ,- '^;;:!;;';=^^;i the late autumn or early spring when the soil h ..u.te \;' ;.*';;;;, ',;, huekwheat and lamb's ..uarters. re.,u.re a war.ner s.i 1. a tie s Is t toxt . and inirslane eontinue d.irmant until stimulated by the heat ot >umm.i. ^a < :;i; ' ,!nn .;!• earlv spring eultivation is not elTeetive m .lestroy.njr the set-is of weeds that will not K''rminate unless the soil is <,uite warm. Distribution from Weed Patches. Patehes of perennial weeds, such as Hehl sow thistle, hel.l bin.lweetl. a . - ,1h thistle ami eoueh crass, should reeeive prompt attention. 1 hf n-ots on imin V .li.tribute.l by farm implements used for eultivatm, ';";' -^ , j;' ^J ^ an- established from broken roots that have bee.. -IrasUftl =''""»^,''> ."' J ' other impletnent. .\ny meth.itl of eultivat.on that >'>^7, '',''»;:;; -'> ' plove.1 to u.iearth a.i.l .lestroy the ,in.l.;.>.i;.iui..l ste.ns an, ile> '" ■, . „ , f ,„„ials shoul.l be usetl when patehes tit them are hist "''^'■' ^ ' ■ ,/; ,'\ ^ " Held bintlweetl antl sow thistle- ...ay be smothered by eover.nn them fo. a >.ar with straw or farm yard iiiaiiure. Hand Weeding Seed Crops. Kven with the (iieatcsl care am est eultivation some weeils are alinost I'.ven wit 1 t le lireaiesi i.ui .oiu < "• ■" ■ ....■■• -- - .; .i sureVo appear in el.iver ami pain intemle.l for ... -d the ,,n^^pra.;...;al m.'ans ,,t haii.ilint: liie.ii Mie.f>Muil> i- naiid pmitufi "i - -. t'l.tij, »».i.i • .^.- 'e ■, ps ,.sp...a.dlv i, i< -sMaitial .hat .h.- fi.-i.ls b,- .•aietul y *..ine -.;•,-«;; ve.l .ir .lestr.-y.'.l l.ffoiv they p. to s...mI. lailuiv to do tlll> .iften we.'.ls remo result^ in th.' proomt ton m i iwm . -- , , '...■ds an.l its niark.t valu.' is th.ivby «r.'atly iv.lu.'.'.l or .•ntirely .le>tro.\ e.l. suits in th.- pro.luetioii . if .lover s.a.lthat is ba.lly .'ontaminat.;.! with w.-e.l WKKDS AND WfJKI) SKKDS. 15 IT"" tWrv- IT-' ir ir rtr- ir ■r "■ -1 Iff IF ir ir •r ir ■IP-'-"* = 5 ir ir ir i» ir ir ^-3 ir ■'^ ir ' tr ir '■' ir ' ir^- 1 ir • ir ' ' tc- ■ t ir ' ■ ir -« ■ iC' ■ • ^2 •J ^ - - c r 16 WEEDS ANI> WEED SEEDS. cil. feet THE NOXIOUS WEEDS. The Seed Control Act, l'.»ll, empowers tin (iovernor in Council to specify the weeds that are to he classed "noxious" within the meaning of the Act. This makes it possible to includ.' any new weeds that may he introduced and hecome dangerous without amendinn the .\<'t. „.wv i • ^' The following are the weeds classed noxious under tiie I'tll Dnler in I oun- The arrangement is according to botanical order. , o <• Wild Oats (Arena fat iin L.) Introduced from Kurope. Annual, 2 to () high. Plants closelv resemble cultivated oats. Heail spreading, usually nodding; seed-bearing stems very slender, bend- ing with the weight of the seeds, giving the head a drooping ap- ,^ liearance. The seeds vary somewhat in size and greatly in colour, f""ni almost black to brown, gray and white. .\11 forms are similar in shape to cultivat(>d oats, but are slim- mer and at once distintr'ushed by the stiff twisted awn, the hairs which are particularly prominent at the base, the slanting horseshoe-shaped scar, and the minute stalk (rachilla) supporting the second or "bo- som"' grain. In Wild Oats this is stout, becoming wider and terminating at the top in a slanting surface, while in cultivated i>ats of the; it IS dis- threadiike throughout its entire length. In threshed grain many tinguishing marks may be broken off but usually some remain. False Wild Oats, often confused with the above, are a form of cultivated oats The plants appear to be identical with those of the cultivated variety in which they occur but the seeds resemble those of Wild Oats in having both the long -till awn and horseshoe-shaped base. They are, however, generally less hairv and stouter and do not differ in size from those of the cultvated variety in which they origin:ite. False Wild Oats germinate readily the fall they ripen while the germination of true Wild Oats is deferred. Eradication. -U is impossible to clean land of Wild Oats in one or even two seasons, but the following measures will gr.'atly reduce their numbers and if persisted in will clean the land: Fall or spring .liscing followed by (a I sliallow ploughing in earlv .lune with .h'rdinary ploughing in .lune sown to green feed. There is reason to believe that \\ ild Oat^ will not retain their vitalitv in the soil for more than hve years. >eeding to grass and leaving in seed for this i)eriod should therefore prove effective in destroying them. J, ^^2'xstjrxK:i%:&A'«:r-r>> ^xSiirsKS^x^rsnfai-'.sii.iitse^^siivfk ■• t somewhat swoll I WEEDS AND WEED 8EED.S. Common Darnel (Lolium lemulentum L ) Annual simx.th. stems 2 to 4 f,...f hi^h. simple rouKh al)ov(>, the portion cmhracinn tli stem IS purple when the plant is younjt. Spike (i f. lU inehes lonK; somewhat resemhliuK that of ( oueh Crass, hut havinn the edjtes of the si)ikHets resting against the stalk instead (,f tlie broadsides, as in Couch (Jrass. The M-al, lien, resembles small harley, with l>lunt ends and a shallow wide groove on the inner surfaee. The inner seale is minutely bristly on the edjies hut not •■"^"■•■'•■l.v hrisllv along the \ V 1^^ margins, as in Chess; the \ ^^H "'"'''■ ''''''''' '•■' '""'' =""' lintv V l^n '»." "> 111*' ''lialf of wheat, aiid \^ fSU <'<('>•'■' with or without a long ^ WnW awn. The kernel, after the husks have heen removed, is ... , , gii'i-nish-hrowi), often tinged with deep purple. The seales cover the s..ed verv tigli ('•■rent to It, ,n that condition it is nearlv th..sam< grams of w lu-at ar 1 is ,.x-ce..dingly difficult to sepan l^arnel has heco... pest in parts of the i{ed Hiver sionally throughou :ie Prairie Province^ Its seeds A/w//a(^(»/(.— Mmilar to Wild Oats SccmI .itfect 17 Introduced from Europe. Leaves smooth l)eneiith, tl.V, the inner one being ad- ■ size and weight as small !itc from it by machinery. \'alley. and is found occa- are found chiefly in wheat, cd areas to grass. most common member illustration. this group is is a perennial Docks ilitiiiii'x s|)eeies) — 'I'ht Curled Dock iRmmx crisij'u.s L.) shown in the with a deep tap-ro..t. Stem 2 to .i feet, smooth erect, terminating in wandlike racemes Hoot- Icaves oblong-lance-shaped in outline with much crested or waved margins, (i to 12 inches long on long stalks: stem-leaves on short stalks and much smaller or absent towards the top of the -stems. Curled Doek is ;i common w,.<"d in meadows, pastures an.',." "f •'" iix'li long, shapi'd ▼ ▼^ ▼ like a miniature beeeh-nut, • , , . , iK'arly syninietrical, both ends and' hiiiir ilinv^'cii^t^d'bock ';^''^ '"'' ^"f '^'^' "'"''^^^'' ^^'^''^^^ '^-^n seed ....Int.. I I ' '^'"*'«fed Uock {Numcx coiujlowcratu.s .Murr ) anex of th^ /*r;-' .*-- E iitliaition. Short rotation of cn)| sr. iir.-nvnish )S. Hand pulling. .M-iiow, (luii ixssri^r-ztirisiew I > I mnii ii I M I 1 11111111 Hi "iiwi "imrTTir»-— '^ — -»r«>»> 18 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Purple Cockle ( h/ro.s/cmmd (lillwqo L.) — Introduced fioin luiropc. An- nual and winter annual. Krect, 1 to .i feet hisli: l)ran(lics few; wi.olc i)lant covered witii soft, silky hairs; not viscuuus. . .^^ Leaves 2 to .') inches loiip, narrow and pointed. \4/ W' "li^ ■ Flowers purple, borne at the tips of the steins 1*^ ~'| l^ and branches, 1 .\ inches across. Fruit capsule ovoid, with .") teeth at the apex. It occurs in (iriuii lit'lds tiirou^rhout Canada. 'i"lic seed i< pitchy black, from ,'._, to i of an incii in diam- eter, somewhat fhitteiicd, rounded triaiiy:u- lar; the thin cdjie notclicti by the scar of attaciiinent ; routjh, co\-cred withrowsof >!iorl teeth. It is ditiicult to >e|)arate liie seeds from wheat without a heavy loss of uraiii. When (iround with wheat, tiie -eeds j;ive the (lour a dark colour and a liad flavour. They are a very common impurity in seed wheat and aie found ic>- fre(plently in seed oat^ hlr ■diaitntii. Summer f.ailow. Maud pullini;. Campions, illcludin^r White Cockle yl.ijchins ,ill„i Mill.i. Niftht-flower- ing Catchfly iSiimc imd/Jlitni l.i. and Bladder Campion Siluu Idhjuhii (Mill.) Untleli and iii'ndle). Thi' ino-I <'orii- iiion weed of thi- uroup i- Ninht-tloweiini£ latchtlx. which i> very pri'Valcil in the al~ike lirowiny: di>tiict- of <>nt;iiio. ll i- an annual or winter ;innual. enct. I to :i feet hijiii. -ome- wh;,t branchiliti. the whole plant covered with soft, -pieiidinu ul.'UHlular l.alr~. The tlower~ are few. erect in a biauchinii c\nie. nearly an ilM'h acros-. pinki-ii in-ide. yi llowish-w hilc oiit- >ide. opi'liinn at niiihl. White ( 'o- Iribuled in Ontario, mo-1 ^diui'lanl in the \ ic- inil.v of (luelpli. where il i~ 'iiy Iroiible-omc. Till' root-lock- are thick, -endini; up a few -liorl baricii -hoiit- and lonir lir.-inchinu llouerinu -lein-. I to •_';, feel liiiili. 'i'lie whole pl.inl i- \ i-cuou- hairy, but nol -d inueli -o a- ( '.■il<'lifl\ . Il i- wiilei Ipianchint. Iki- maii.\ -lem-. the leave- ,Mre l.iruer. Ihe tlowel'- niojc' lUUniloU- and pure nhile. Tl ■■ niMJe :ind fellial' llowel- are on -ep,irale pl;int-. i:i!liliintnni. The-e weeil> are e-pei'iall.\ oliJecti..ii:ible Ul lield- intended for clover -eed produitioll .1- iheir -eed- cimilol be iiiar.-lli'd by >ie\e- Ul orouiarv cie:inui;i iiiii I ;lt all lIltcsIlM id he ploliu;! ei| u|> and w.irked'midcr .1 -liMl rotatioii.it ci<.|». I )eep nili i\ ;m ion in -|Uiiuj i- iiecd.d to sll).)ilc-> While ( oekle and Hl.id.ler ( ■;ini|iio|l. A\old llllroblcinu these weed- bv -..v\int; oiil\ JiUn i:r;i-- ,i lid ast(.ra provinces durinn rcc.'nt years, and has " '""'"^'" '" ^"^ proven to he very (nffieiilt to suppress. The whole phmt is pale fireen and in tlie common form perfectly smooth. Stems 1 foot to IS inches liijch, formiiif; larue tufts. Leaves ovate- laiice-shaped in i)airs. meetinn: round tlie stems. Mowers wiiite. nearly an inch across, drooping, the corolla divisions deeply divided. Calyx much inflated, j)iile jrreen veined with hri^t'hf purple, toothed at the contractey five short h.'ickward curved teetli. ■ % « • • v~, ■• 1 A) ¥ ^•. lii Wllil,- ( ixklr l.,lrl,ln. niaiM.r Caiupiiin. with H.ad.h.r (Jin, •::.:''!■ .;;!r:r:!:i^i;;H;:: z^r::::!!^^-:-::' ^;^ ^mi'lh.' ;:^l;' ol' :;r h.;;:;;ttl;'l^.,;v^;;e;:.;^i;^* ^^-;;;,;;i: ^'T" Vi'-^- ^ 1 ■ on g „; e Sin. '"''"""' ,r''' "'■'■ ';■" """"";"■• =''""""^'' ""■ '"•t-''^ m- pn \,,l( lit, specially in red ch.ver seed from (.■ntral ( hitario. •" Tl lul , • ''=""■'""»-' =;''"^'' "^ ">•"•'' iTaiK^hcd from the has,., 1 to ., t..t. Ihe whole pliuit IS smooth, succulent .■ni.l of a unv- .-h-j:n.en appearance, like ,|„. leaves of a cahl.a^e. Lea 's o .•itc-ance-shaped. cla.pi,,^, ,1,„ „„,„. Howers pale . - pink • inch acro>>, „, .,. coryml.-like cvmes. ( ',,, • ovale ■.-ni> Led a.d n.u.., ,„||a,ed. winded an-i a-,mle,| in fruit, T ,'. -niooth rou„di>h fn.it capsules contain al.o; • .'() .,,,|. ..,, A rouh cso,..e w,.ed o,.ly i„ ,|,.. p,,iri.. p.^vince. The 1 e. j IS -omid. hard, .lull Mack, al.out .', inch in diameter, and i' ""•■II confound. ■(! with the seeds of wild V'l'hi's. It c;.ii |„. distiimuishe.l f,om vetch s,.,.,|sof;, simii:,,. ,j>,,,|,v its minute- ly iniit!:heii..d siiifaiT. or hv ciitliiiu it "P'li a,lti Tsoakiiin, when the germ, which li'- III .1 circl,. .around the s,.,.,| j,,.., |„,. nc.atli thes,.,.d-coat. will I.. ,,.,11. |t i„ „„ w.iy ies,.„.l,|,.s the ins|,|,. of a x'et.h or ["■■I- which, when 111., sreil-coat is .c- iii"vc.| after soakiiii:. can he easilv sep- l:llVCs. I'll,. .,,,,,!„ ;,,.,, .| ,.,,„|„„„, j,,,,,,,,,,,, »? "^ -)• " i'ii' riti'io I 20 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. ^ '■&: ^• Stinkweed {Thlaspi arvenxe L) .—Introduced from Europe. .-Vnnual and winter annual. Whole plant bright green and quite smooth. Hoot leaves home on foot stalks; .stem leaves clasping the stem with the arrow-shaped base. Flowers clear white, { of an inch acro.ss. Pods flat, I inch across, pale green and winged, notched at the top. Just before the seeds ripen the pods turn u characteristic greenish-orange shade, easily noticed when this rteed is growing among crops. Stinkweed is now found in every pro- vince in Canada, but nowhere is it such a terrible pest as in the Prairie Provinces where it was introduced with the first settlers. The seed is about I'.y of an inch a-ross, a little longer than broad, deep i)urplish-brown, un- symnietrically oval in outline, tl.itteni'd, with rounded edges. The flattened surface has ."> or (> loop-like lines, which start at the ru . concentrically around a central groove. The seeds are freciuentlv found in western grain and grass seeds. /'.'mi/Zra/Zo'i.— Suninier fallow. I/isc as soon as the grain crop i> reniove which are often tlal and round in outline though very variatile The plant may be e;>>ily separated from the first lw< ii,\ it'* earl> •ave-^, whCh are broa ale uilno.-t imjio.-Sir.ii' i" scpar;;ie. .\it art- -iii;t;;, •• t-;:i'i^ -::'-i\ ti- •. j-i..:-- with flattish poiis ami strong-smelling leaves. A'nu/(fa/(()«.— Same as for Stinkweed. Seed ti> grass for period of years. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS prevj into ^'^^St^rSrH;^f:!r^^^,,!S^l^^ ^^"^/^"-'' and Cow Cockle. A tall annuror winter an-^ '"^''"'' "'"■" '-'-'' ^^""'^^'^ nual. St.'ms erect very slender; strong plants throwing out a few long hranehes. \Vhole plant yellowish-gn.en ann.l,a,l,on.~>umlnr to Stinkweed and Fal>,. Flax. s.'cd ■< ;ire is yellow, g"nerallv troduccd from Kurop( iitei iiiiiua 1 to 2 feet 4-' Ti \ V / ^i: •^•fv 0 r Wild Radish (liaphnnus H„i,ln,,nstru,n I ) Abundant in the .Maritim.. I'n.vinces. .\n, L u ' d± '"-n '-' '7- 'V"^ ''^'""■'"■^ .^tarting low "' down. I he root is sh.nder. not swollen as in th,- garden radish The plant n^sembles Wild Mu - tanl bu the towers are f,„ver and larger, notice- ably paler yellow and conspieiK.uslv vined. The '■-.nstricted seed po.ls ar.. the m.'.st distinctive ••haracteristi.: with these no mistake can be Hadish the seed pods have no valves, but are conipos,.,| of two joints, the lower ..lie small ' "f •■'" inch, and .se, '1,.,^' ff. fc» ",''"''' '■'■"';""^ at* .•!, to V TO flu- footstalk: the upper v- C i|R lindrical, 1 i inches h.i.i:. with 0«^ .-several one-seeded crlU fonii- ^ •) .';:.''>' "•••I'isverse partitions. I his seed-bciring portion .s.p. , . arafe> from the tir>t ioint 's^e;;.;;!'-;;;;:,:" •^■j':;;rt.. -;;:•>•'"- v> ..^en ..oken „p into ^'•--t ■ of an inch long.'.'val eg^ r C^MIv'S,:;; T\ ^V C'^'- '"'iiiE Mirface v.-rv hnelv netted Th,. s... , i V "•'"'"'■ "ddisli brown, tlw ii'll.v oats.- Wild' i ad" is. ' ..r '■ ''•^'■'■'V''''''^ f'"""' i" urain.e.^ Wild Mustard tlo igl |l"a ffi i 7, " . "'" ''^ "l'J-'i""ab|e^ are^tr..ubies..„e to Lrvest f ;;:'U;u''!r;:: .,/::;;":.^ ^wineUt-r^r^ " ^'"'•-'''''•''■- -'-'«--•'>■ i"--se:.^,;ra;n;i„;.ro/M^^^^^^^ hrndtcdtioii. Summer fnlL.u- ii i notation of erops ^"""''' ""'"*' "''""l'^ »'"' thorough .ultivation. 7M)2() 4 J v., , J '. 22 WEEDS AND WEED riEEOS. Wild Mustard (lirasisica arvensis (L.) Ktze)., and other wiUl Brassica sneoie-* —WiUl Mustard is the eommonest and one of the most injurious weeds ■^ l)eU)nsins to the Mustard family. It is (H'neral throughout ('uuada in farm crops and waste phiees, Ix'iiiK espeeially abundant ah)n(i river val.eys. ll is an annual. Stems ereet. hraneh- inn, i to '.i feet higli, rough, with stitT somewhat downward directed hairs. The pur])le at the junction of the branches with the stem is a striking cliaracteristic. Flowers bright yellow. fragrant, ^ inch across. Seed poils 1 to 2 inches long, knotty or slightly constricted between the I '¥ ' itf "ii ^; ^f/ seeds, ribbed and rising obliciuely on short, thick i ■ ' T^iJ-A -"# footstalks, tipped with a long empty (^r oiie- \ 1 'f^nilHt V lif _ seeded, two-edged beak, which breaks away whole from the rii)e pod. Kaeh pod contains about I.") to 17 seeds. When ri|)e the poout ,',! "f '»" i»<"'> !" diame- ter (luite nniiKl, dark brown or reddish black, alnio.st smooth to naked eve but slightly pitted under a gla.ss and have a decidedly pungent ta>L. . 1 liey are frequently* found in great numbers in grain and occasionally they occur in small seeds. ' Among the other wild nrassi,-as, not so conimon, the seeds of which cl..selv resemble those of Wild Mustard, are Indian Mustard (limssmj j,nnm (L.) ros>on), Black Mu8tard Hi. niijn, W..) Koch) and Bird Rape (/<. ciinipcstrin I,). Hniilirnli<„i. -Similar lo Stinkweed. .\void cereal crops where practicable. Hares-ear Mustard iConniaiin nn'rnlolis (L.i Dumorti. lntiodiice(l from i'.ui-op' . l>robab!v with flax se.-d, about 1S(»2. Annual and winter annual Stein< erect, with tew branches. 1 to J leet high. Whole plant i)eifectly smooth, and. when young, covered with a fine bloom like that of I'abbage. Leaves fler-hy, without lee.h. the root-leaves obovate, gradually narrowed to tlu' base; tho>e (in the -tilT st.'in-, which become wire-like when ripe. y ii..ii|-id(>; spreading rai)id- |\ . riic -eed is ii;irk l)ro' II. rounded \\ uill greatly f 1 I I ^:i: ( niiuce till' pr^l . WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 28 ami f.f VvifeT^p.:^^ i> .'^"™'''»."S Mustard (Sisymbrium olti,ssimum L).— Info 1 rairu' Provinces from central anil southern Europe about 1887 \nnu-il sometimes winter annual; 2 to 4 feet high, stem branching, the lower part and the root leaves downy and glandular, with a muskv odour- upper part of the stem and the much divided leaves smooth. The young plants form a rosette of soft, pale green, downy leaves, shaped much like those of the dandelion. On the flowering plants the leavi-s change very much in shape from the root n\), no two being alike. Flowers pale yellow, I inch ■ diameter. Se<'n the seeds are rii)e the whole head of tin- plant breaks off and is blown acm-s the i)rairie, scattering the seeds far ami wide' J he seeds, as in many "tumbling w Is," aiv not e:,silv shed from the touuh nods- <;onse<,uentl.v a hea.l of this weed may blow about th.'. prai ie f a v ' e ' .lrop,,ing .a few see.ls at intervals for manv miles. It occurs in grai id I n d along rc.,ds„h.s. The see.l ,. small, ^ of an inch long, oh ve bro v, , ^ :.ni" n'^rX' It Vhr'"' ;''"■' "'"' """■"='«;"""^ -1-"'^. "'-l"n»J, angular'... off r.ins%(rseh at the scar end, sometim.'s almost s,|uare from compression in the j.o,/„r,/.s- Caroh, I.l.-lntrodu.'ed from llurope and now spreading rapHllyin, he clover s 1 producing .listricts of Ontario. i 'n objectionabh. weed along ro.adsi.les, waste places and old . mea.h.ws an.l .Mrasionally givs trouble in cultivated tiel.ls. Hi.'nnial, with a large succulent root. Stems flowers and leaves as in eultivai.d .'airot. The fruit when npe separates into two s |-i,ke halves, comnn.nlv caiie.i seeds, .'acli having .") inc.uispi,ii,,us ribs running .•ngthwise ,md 4 winge.1 s n.lary rilw l„,ui„g ,., row of bMrb.Ml prickl.s which are easily rubb.'.! off. The true seed is inside the fruit. The seed in the fruit is iiecomirig (piite a common impurity in ('aii.adiaii ■ grown red clover >.(m|, but i> more freipieiitly found in import- ed stock, it -rldoiii ociiir< in ' .abike. Fiiiihc'il'n,,, \\,|,| C-ii-roi c.an be>t b, Iv, pi in ,.|ie,4v in rul- tn.-itc.l lieM> 1,\ ;i regul;ir rot.ation of croiw ultl, tl„.,,.,,..i i. :....: .- f i i :.'f;!w v."r' "sh:i;:";.m';:V'' "■"' " ^'"""'' •" '-i^-'-m. =md';;iHi;ated"f;:; MW \,M^. .s|„.,.|, will help ,,, Mippiv.v II ,„ ,,.,., ure l,.,|„|s. . 24 WKEDS AND WKEl) SEEDi^. .'T^-:- r\ \' -■>■? "ff ^ V '.rrr r large, ,'| of an inch long, dark brown, pear- '- .*i.--- ^ . ' i^r""^ shaped; one f:ic(> convex, the ' ' ■"'" "-'-^ other bluntly angled with flat .sides. Surface roughenc(l with small tubercles; the basal scar is a roughly lined, redilish depression at the lower pointed end. Field Hindweed is exceed- ingly hard to eradicate because of the almost incredible ))ersistence of the fleshy rootstocks. .\lthough widespread throughout the Dominion anil in restricted localitites very troublesome, it is not yet a very common weed of Canada. The seeds are not often found in grain or clover seed. The plant propagates mostly by rootstocks ai>d in many localities jiroduces few seeds. EatiUcatioit. "I'ersistent cultivation to prevent leaves forming. Smother small patches with -traw or manure. Clover Dodder (Ctiscatn species). iTitroduced from i'.iirope. An annual parasite with slender yellowish and reddish stems, which twine about the host plant and become attached to the clover stems by Slickers through which it obtains nourishment from the host. Flower^ whitish or pinkish, in clusters along the thread-like, twining stems. There is prob- ably no wi'e without frost. During years of shortage in clover seed crop of Cana- da, it iias fre(|uently lieeii introduced and \videl>' (listributed in imported .;iilarly ^pl "iical. and more or less angleil on the inner scar-bearing si.lc; , he surf.iic granular roughened. Allalfa Dodder l.is given trouiiie in soiitiiwe-tern t)niano and in the Piaiiif Provinces, where it is known to have continued in alfalfa for three years. Eradicntiini. Madly infested fields shoulil be ploughed under liefore si'ed forms. Small patches may be cut out and destroyed «.f .1 ? WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 25 ■> Blue Bur or Stickseed {Lappula echinata Gilibort).— Introduced from ;:"/u°Pr -^TY X '■"'* ^V^V^r -innual. Erect, branching, whole plant covered with short white hairs, which give it a gravish appearance. I.eaves lin(>ar-ol)long; root-leaves about Slncheslong, nar- rowed at base; stem-leaves stalkless. Flowers small about I inch across, pale blue, erect, in leafy, more or less one-sided racemes, and with minute bracts. It occurs by roadsides, in waste places, and in some sections in culti- vated fields in eastern Canada and is a pernicious weed in fields of grain sown on stubble lands in the Prairie Pro- vinces. The seed is about J inch long, dark brown, pear- shaped, with a rough surface, inner face sharplv angled, outer face rounded, without spines in the centre, but having on the sides a double s( .i'es of long stiff spines, each of which has at its apex a star of :i or 4 sharp hooks. Tliis nutlet is often found in clover and other commercial seeds, wlu'n many of the long barbed bristles may be rub"b(>d |l off; but it may be recognized bv the angled inner face, with tlie sniallbasal It th.. bottom of the central ridge and the unarmed area on the outer face <"etTr"'-7'' "''•'' ''•'*'■'■ '"^'''"''' ^^■''*' '^'"^ '^"^ •^'"•"■'' •'<> summer-fal- r V 11 "'",''""«'l '^P'.'"*! <'"'t'vation with the disc or broad-shareiives of the fiowering stems stalkless. Com- mon 1-y roadsides and in waste places and fields throughout Ontario and the eastern provinces. Chiefly on limestone and gravelly or poor soil. The seeds from e;ich flower are J inch long, dark brown, hard and rough, irregularly angu- lar and cone-sha|)ed, 'sharplv angled on the inner face and roun.led on the ou't.T. with a keel running from tho sharp apex half way or even 5 lobed lea%'es are pro- duced, but on many plants leaves may be found without lobes. The male and female flowers are borne in different heads on the same plant: the male in long slen- der spikes at the ends of the branches, and the female two to three together, stalkless, in the .axils of the leaves at the base of the spikes. Male lliiwers ', inch across. :up-shaped, nodding; stamens yel! ,\v and ciuispicuous. Female itwers in- ConspiciKius; pistils slendliapeil, tipped with a tapering beak ami bearing around the base of this, about one-third from the top, d with white; no pappus. Often found in large quanti- in Canadian grown timothy >vvd. Kraiiication. Shallow ploughing followed by cultivation. Short rotation f crops. 71020— .") ti( 28 WEEDS AND WEED [SEEDS. Canada Thistle (('irsium arvensc (L.) Scop.) — Introiluccd frimi Europe. Perennial with deep runninn rootstock.s. Stems ereet, 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves variable in shape, waved and erested, very prickly, in some plants much less so than in others. Flower heads numerous, in a large loose corymb at the top of the stems. Flowers variable in colour, ranging from pale purple through shades of pink to white. Some plants bear male flowers only, which form no seeds, other jilants female flowers only, which produce many seeds; the flower heads of male ]ilants are nearly globe-shaped, 1 inch across, those of the female plant only about half as hirge, oblong, with short Horets. Large ])atclies may be found bearing only male flowers, showing tiiat all the plants originated from a single seed. It is abundant in eastern Canada, Manito- ba and Hritish Columbia and is spread- ing rapitUy in Saskatchewan and Alberta. The seed is I of an inch long, light brown, elongated oblong, smooth, some- what flattened and curved, more or less marked with faint longitudinal lines; the top is nearly I narrow rim with a small cone-shaped point in the centre, and clover seeds and sometimes in seei L.) — Introducec from a deep, long, thick root. Stem 1 from Europe. Perenniti 2 to 8 feet high, branched, hairy below, ives closely resembling those of Common Hoot-l( Dandelion, 0 to 8 inches long, spreading on the ground. Flower heads bright blue, sometimes purple or nearly white, about two inches across composed entirely of strap-shapeil flowers, usually closing by noon, in stalkless clusters of three or four together along the almost leafless stems. It occurs in eastern Canada, most abtindant in (Juebcc. A common roadside weed and occasionally found in cultivated fiekls. The seed is J inch long, dark brown or straw- coloured, mottled with brown, wedge-shaped, ob- tusely 15 to .")-aiigled. some- times much curved; the surface grooved and ridged from top to bottom and lUte. clcise. raised and w.".V! a fringe of short, flat. wliit( rouirhen surrounding the apica are often found among cro]) seeds, particularly in clover and grasses. (1 lines; ni the top. bristles. The seeds Eradication.' a wayside weed. -C;hicory is not often seen in good farming districts A short rotation of crops will soon suj)press it. except as x ^2^3 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 29 : I ■ V Sow Thistles (Smichus spccios).— The most (hmucrous and widcsnr,..,,! TlM,' L'l^ln Tn"'"'??' '^'^fT,'^*^' "'. ^V"^ ^°^ "thistle (So.chu. «;' .. T Abundant in cultivated fields and along road- sides, rapidly spreading from the Atlantic coast westward and already a serious pest in Manitolia. It is a deep-rooted perennial, with large and vig- orous running root-stocks. Stems 1 to ') feet high, hollow, simple, with few leaves, and hranching at the top. Whole plant filled with a bitter, milky / juice. Leaves 6 to 12 inches long, poinied, \ deeply cut, the lower divisions directed back- .lih, ward, clasping the stem by their heart-.shaped base, and "edged with soft spines. Flowers bright yellow, 1| in. across, in corymbs, dosing in strong sunlight. The seed is about J of an inch long, ilark, reddish brown, oblong, closely and deeply ridged length- wise, the ribs wrinkled trans- versely, giving the seed the ap- pearance of being ridged both ways, bearing at the top a tuft of white, silkv and Ijeisistent hairs which spread in drying and en;ibl(> the seed to be carriecj long distances by the wind. Erndicntion.—Uci' Canada Thistle. Dig out or smother small patches as soon as liiscovered. Annual or Common Sow Thistle (Sonchuf .same distribution as the Perennial Sow Thistle, deeply cut and toothed with soft spinv teeth; the basal ones pinnatifid, terminated bv a large lobe, clasping the stem bv their heart-shaped ba.se, ending in sharp points. The flower is pale yellow, about i to 1 inch in diameter. The seed IS somewhat similar to that of Perennial Sow Thistle but a little shorter, flattened, pointed at the basal end. The longitudinal ridges are wider apart, much finer, an 1 the whole surface oleniccu)< L.) has about the Stem, 1 to 4 feet high. Leaves Spinv'-ip.ivcd. Anniinl. of th,. se... the ndges as well as the interspaces, is finelv wrinkled transv.'r.selv. appns falls otT easily. Spmy-leaved ui Prickly Sow Thistle {Sonchu^ asper (L.) Hill.) is an annual of the same habit as Common Sow Thistle. It may be easily itleiitified by its more pricklv nature .:in<| less d.jeplv cut Icive-. the !>n=e appendages ot which, instead of spreading, are appres'sed to the stem and rounded Ihe seed IS similar to that of the preceding species in size and Shape; distinctly :i-n.'rved on each siih' but with nerves and interspaces quite strooth Hoth of these annuals are comparatively harmless weeds and casilv •■o'ltrolled. 71()20— -)i m WEEDS AND WEED MEEDS. OTHER WEEDS. Many species of farm weeds give trouble in meadows, pastures, grain crops, hoed crops, lawns and roadsides that are not here classed as noxious. It is believed to be impracticable and undesirable to legislate against more than 20 or 25 of the most troublesome kinds commonly disseminated in commercial seeds. Noxious weeds that might v<'ry well be included in a provincial law having for its object the suppression of weeds growing on farm lands would naturally differ materially from those embodied in a law to restrict their distribution in com- mercial seeds. Many kinds of weeds become dessiminated by wind, water and other natural agencies, the .seeds of which seldom occur in grass or clover seed or in seed grain. Couch (Ira.ss, Wild Morning (ilory and Paint-brush are more harmful weeds than Ribgrass which is a useful foddi"- mt in sheep pastures. The ability of weed seeds to retain their vitali'.^, 'hen embedded in the -soil is one of the principal reasons why plants producing them are classed as noxious weeds. The length of time that mustard and other weed seeds will retain their vitality in the soil has not been very well understood. It is com- monly stated that they will retain their vitality for an indefinite period noxious under the Seed Control Act because their seeds seldom if ever occur in commercial samples. (Hhers are objectionable wee<''<■» '» liirge ((uantities along fences. The seed is alxiut '*' I'rt '>f 'I" ">'•'" loiiK. spindle-shaped in outline, highlv .-hinv . j . olive green.with white parellel nerves, more vellowisli wheii ' unripe. It occurs often in large quantities in the .se ds of \ timothy and other grass.'s and le.ss fre<,uently in clov,-r ..eed. A number of other , species o the Panic Grasses an- quit.- widely .listributed but none are so com- ) ""!" ,"^<"'' ^^ >t';li (.rass. 1 he Panic grasses are clos,.ly related to th.- Foxtails but differ essentially by the absi-nce of the petsist.nt bristles below the fiorct< % \ Green Foxtail {SHuriu riridi.s (L.) Heauvj. An introduced annual found commonly in eastern ( anada and l)econiing a .serious pest in the Prairie Pro- vinces, where it is taking heavy toll. As an jinnual this weed is very troublesome becau.se of its extreme prevalence throughout Canada. Seed colour very variable according to the de- gree of ripeness: yellow, grey, brown or purplish, the darker seeds mottled with darker spots. The kernel is greenish-white, convex on the outer face, which bears the germ, and flattened on the inner face. (!reen Foxtail seeds are the most prevalent impurity in ^^ ^^ clover seed. They are "con- M^L ^^^ tained in about 90 per cent Jlj^B ^^B uf the red clover samples ^pH ^^B ■'"'-'.'''^*'<' ^'t (>>•' seed V^V ^^V lalmratory and about oU per cent of "th( Isike samples, seeds pntfuse- mm ml (Jreen Foxtai ly from harvest to lat( autumn The presence of the seeds a> an impuritv rnat.riallv re.h-cf ot ird clover or alsik<' seed for commerce the value '> Meauv. I i^ very spreading, the wlioh compound and le spikes ur(- imiiar to (Ireen Fox- plant is rather Yellow Foxtail {Sdarla (jUttim i|. tail. The branches, however, are more larger and more succulent, the si)ike^ le- sl..n(lerer, with larger ,seew eeds arc similar to those of ( heen Foxtail but . are a common impuritv in red clover and ee.l.seed grain a_n(l feeding stuirs,but are seldom found On account of theii leia- riiick seeding itum winter-killed should be mown wliile the Foxtail i's.iui'u.'greV'n" '"' hnidnulio,i.-\r\>v stubble immediately after harvest. Hoed cr clean cultivation late 111 summer. Tops with 32 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Sweet Grass {Hicrochloe odomta (L.) Walilciib.) is ;i native perennial, rare in the eastern provinces, jtrowinn mostly in damp piaees hy ,-t reams ami rivers, hut widely distributed in the I'rairie Provinces wl.ere it seems to thrive on all kinds of soils. It is diifieult to suppress hecause of its deep-rootinn wide-spreading white rootstoi'ks, which produce in summer many barren shoots with ioiifi. Hat, deep creen, shining leaves, over a foot in lenijth. I'"lowerif.ti stems ;ire thrown u() early in spring, the first flowers operint: when the stems are only a few inche.-- out of the j;roiind. When handled tiie plant produces a sceni very similar to that of Sweet (lo- ver. The naked seed closely re- sembles timothy, l)ut is thinner, more cylindrical, and sometimes bears at its apex the remainder of the dried-otT style (the elonnated part of the pistil.) The miniature root of the nerm is more prominent. The seeds are occ;isionaliy found ii' urass seed. Eniilii-iiliitii. Plough in Max. Choosi' a season wIicti the n«'t drai: alioiit the tiehi with haii'iws as this starts new patches 111(1 -^ow ti) some f.ist tirowiiu; crop, such as oats (ir ipMilev. >il is dry. Do .\fter ploiinh- (;hess {liniihiis siciiliinix I,.j, is a wiiitir annual widely distribiite are urowii. i'iie stems are ciect ami simple. The portion of the leaf that embraces the stem i- -iiiooth. stroiijilv nerved Panicle ^i/j^ loose, its jiraiiciies somewiiat droopini;, wiih /^j<<<**. many flowered, hairless spikelels, whicli :ire so > '^Sj^r distinct ;is to -hoW opelliniis between them ' jr^' aloliir t!ie st.'llk, wiiell vieWe':"'li" when lipe. plii- L ' / - "^r vided with a short I'ri-tiv iwii. j '^z!^' ' '"' '"'"'■ scale is bordered It with -lilT hairs and adherent I to the kerni-l. The footstalk I of the irr.'iin above is stronnly i. curved and cluli-shaped. The »eeds are a common impuiiiy ill winter «hea'. :.iid. to a less extent, in winter rye and other iiiaiii^ and »eii|s of COI'inii'rce ,llld 111 I'eediliu -tutfs. ( 'he^s js object ioliabl' .n wheat for millillK as it Kives the flour ,i d,irk colour and a di^amceable flavour. Uctiioviiii; it by cleaniiin iause~ coiisjder.-ible loss of thi sni.illcr (ir.iii,- of ulieal. KrwIinUitiii. .\void winter wlie;it. Short roiai 'f ei-ops. lloe( rops WKKDS AND WKKI) SKKDS. 33 * « tr iM. i Couch or Quack Grass (Agropi/rou iriwns (L.) IJoauv.) is wiilcly distrit)- iitcd throuKhdiit Canada and a most injurious weed in all kinds of soil. It is liiTcniiial hy widcsprcadint; hut shallow (Icsliv iMotstocks, forniinfi large matted Ixds. Flow- ering stems rather freely produced, smooth • "V f above, downy 1m 'ow. l''low"r> in ;Uo 7-ilowered ' ; /i?\ / I sjiikelets, fo- ■ n . .1 !:.,rn)w -pike with the spike- l:'ts lying i.ti .■■aii'M t'l 'alk. Leaves d;irk ur( I 11. i:it;.er distinctly rih- l.ci|.:ihil rioreor less hairv he- { \\M ':: U.\: I'le .■e(i> 'nc seldom '■M,., ' 1', ci'reals, tin.othy or clover seed hut occasionally in the coarser grasx's, and in Idler from hay or straw con- t.iiniiig mature ( 'ouch ( Irass. hiiKliciiliiin. To di.>trov ''/(f'^V '^i. i-~ '--H^.-_, this persist. 'Ut wee /'^'■"Ijf^.v'?^--^^^'^^- =, h,iu-t its suh-.tan, huckwheat or millet and a hoed crop ili(- next sprinii. In he 1 rairie Trovincc- -h.allow ploughinn late in .luTie when hand is dry followed hy hack-etting as -0011 as possible in the fall and ;t thorough ciillivji- lion the following spring, Un< given good results. I'low shallow .after hay cr.'.p and unearth rootstocks with -ucio-ive (ailtivation before growth i< renewed. Skunk-tuil (irass or Wild Barley (ll,ml,t,w i„l,„hini I,.t i> a native |)erciiiual occurring from Lake Superior westward, pa'rticularlv in .ilk.aline soil wheri' hi Iter gia>ses can not thrive and o( ca^ionally in e.islerii Canada. This grass i> a Mriou- enemy to western stockmen. , - being a som-cc of much injury to horse-i, cattle and sheep, The 1 ■ ^if* b.irhed seeds and awi, pcneir.ate t he >oft tissuK of t h.' mout h, \ 'n* » ' ' causing irritation ,ind intl.imcd ulcers, and work down be-..;.. \« %. |('./ Ilie teeth, producing intl.imm.itiiin .and swelling. It does not \ \t ?' ilower the fnvt year, f.irming tufts s to i'.> inches high. Leaves ^.'. '//'' | grayish-green. I'low. rs in (...lutiful. silky, bristly hca.U, .'{ to "i I ''f W t inche> long, pale yellowish-green ofl.ii y - '*vVi!5'i<;"' i ' Pil- ing ;immals aiul are cirrie.l long ilisiaiiics hv till' wind. h'nuhnilinii. There is no didiiailty in er.a.licating this i,ravs from land thai .^an he plowe.i, hut it givs con-i.l.Table trouble in wast,, pl.i.vs wli.Te il ripens itv ,,.,,1 wln.h i- wi.lelv s, ..t 1. re.l l.v «i,„! joiii water 34 WEEDS AM) WEED SEEDS. Devil Grass lAfpostis' hyemalis (Walt.) B.8.P.). A common weed in ^rain land in western Canada where it gradually starves out (he enltivated grasses. It is useless as liay on aceount of the minute barbs on its stems which produce sores and ulcers in the mouths of the animals eating it. The plant is a very fine silky jierennial urowii.d from six inches to a foot in heigiit and havinji a pinkish colour. The seeds arc ;d)out half the size of Hed Top and somewhat similar in appearance, l.ate in the season the heads break otT and on account of their liglitness fly lon^ distances with a stroni; wind. drop|)ini: their .seed in all direc- tions. Erniliailiiin. — Plouflh dct pl.\ . Sedges (L'mtvniriai). -Tiie x'dties .ire similar to grasses in neneral appear- ance, with fibrous roots and mostly solid stems. Some species ar(> trotiblcsome weeds on wet lands. Yellow Nut-grass {('ij- l)cni.< ('.s(i//<7(/(/.s' L.) is a troui)lesome weed in hoed crop or timothy (jrown on wet land. It ■^pri'ads underground by small nut-like tubers ans litiht urcen. J to J inch wide, about the s:ime hei>jht as the stem. These deep yellow or lidht chestnut coloured heads are easily seen in a field of tiniothy. The seeds, about ..'.. iiuh in Icniith. ;<-;ms:led, liiiht brown, are occasionally found in samples of timotiiy, but very seldom if ever ill clover <<•(■ ;. .Sedges are cliiefly wet land plants and their presence is usually a sijin that the land needs draininc- Thorounh iiiider- less suited to their prowth a> well a-- 'ly makinji the crop more vigorous and ciiok- inp thrill out. Ovoid Spike-rush (/:7((»(7i«;;/.v omld (liotln I{. cV: S.i, i~ a -peel- of sedpe widely distributed in wet placc-^. the seed^ of wliich are often found in timothy and occ.asioiially in red clover saniplo. The -eed i-. top- r-. ■shaped, pale to rich chestiuil brown, smooth and shininji. .'dxiut ,',, iinh loim and ,'.^ inch wide, with a iiiihti r coloured triaiiiiular tubercle at the apex. 1 its lennth, anil (i to ,S |);ile li;irbed bristles .ittai'hed to till' lia-e of the -eed ;iiid I'Xteiidinn slightly lieyonij the tubercle r~uall\ found in timothy sample^ with one or more of the bri^lle^ broken olV. Owiiii; to their ^inall -ize t he«( -ceds can rcadilx' lie cleaned frnm most kimls of cominerci.il ^eed-. i.ai il~ iiife-ted with tin-;, or other ^pei'ie- ol -.cdcc-. ^Iiouhl br t Imripuulilv dr.-niicd if pos-ible and ni\cii cic.ni autumn iulti\atioM followed by IkmiI iinp. Fox St'dge [Cinij- viilfii Hindi II Mnli.i , i» another >pecie> tiuubleMime nil low l.iiid^. I hi' >ecd !-■ sometime' toiiiid in timothy in urcit abiiiid.'ince lieiiii: more pi'i valrlit than the two former 'pec ie^. WEEDS AND WEKD SEEDS. 35 I, Sheep Sorrel (liumeT Accloi^flhi I..j is nat now rommon in all parts of the country. It is j xtcnsively spreading, yellow, fleshy niotstoeks. Stems slender, (i to 18 inches, erect Or nearly so, branched above. Leaves with silvery ear-like appendages, spreading outward from "the base, narrowly arrow-head-shaped, toothless, 1 to 4 inches long, quite smooth and rather fleshy, on long stidks. Flowers numerous in |)anicle-like racemes, of two kinds on separate i)lants; the male flowers h.'ive conspicuous stamens; Mie female are much less showy and are tipped with three tiny, crimson, feather-like organs (the stigmas). The seeds, .is they occur among clover and grass seeds, are generally coveri'd by the three larger conspicuously veined ealy.x i- visions whicii fit doselv over the seed. The naked' seed, when the calyx divisions are removed, is J,j of an inch long and nearlv as broad shining. The .seeds are of one the most' abundant .-iceds, being especially common in alsike. Kradi (iooshy. nearly smooth, hairless. L(>;ives lance-shaped, pointed, nearlv stalkless. the surf.ace roughish, often dotted .-ind markccj with a d.-irk triangular or round \\ ~ I IiuiiiIj I'l-l. I>, r-i. !ir\ "-\: ■¥ n >:■ about ,'_, of an inch in .li;iin..|..r, ovate, licMrt-.|iai)ed. Iml|,,u,.,| .„it on one ^ide ,., roundly triangular, jet black, -himng. Tl,..y are a con „ in.puritv in te.l cl,,y,.r an.l and h-~ fre.|uently found in .".Mke, alf.alf.i :md gn,.s vm'i Pale or )ock-leaved Perslcary ^l'oli,,,onumla,,all„(olnn„ \..\ verv closelv resembles l.aily s llHimb. It i. a cominnii. tall-growing and rather aggressive w.e.l .•im.mg K. lUi .ii..! , „.\,i ,„i ii.'h io» land Ml ail parts of eastern Can.ada. The s,.,.,| i^ ,„ of an ineli |,mg, more roundly heart- 'laped, chocolate bnmn, hollowed on bo 1 -ides ,,„d m-ver triangular, Kr.uhrolmn. Drainage, l.,,te cultivation witli hiM'd crops. Mi WKEDS AND WKKD SKEDS. Wild Buckwheat (Poltigonum Convolvulux L.) is gene throughout (';iii;i(hi, hut most prcvaU-nt iti the Prairu' Vrovin introduced from l'',urope // ^: "^i ■-^. /v I cominou nnpuritv m cereal in rich land. It is 4% *■ f \ I 4* .Jt ^/. Vv, n .1 If ^'f-leinler footstalks, {'lowers in cotni)ound spikes from the axiN of the leave- The seed is aixiut .,',, of an inch in di.ametei. circular in outlini', nuire or h'ss Itatli'Ued on one side, strongly convex on the other, edges bluntly roundetl. the lower convex f.Mce grooved from the margin to the central scar, minutely wrinkled; colour shining bl;ick. The -eeds, \ I ' -_^ "■* found among crop seeds, h.'ive a thin enveloi)e closely adhering to them, as a brown or gray rni'.aly ileposit, which gives them a granular- roughened appe.irance; they also often have the dried .")-!ingletl calyx closed tightly over them. They are a eon inon impurity in alfalfa and limothv, espe- cially in the west. The -eed is so nearly the sanie size as that of timothv that lis separation is ditficuit, so lliat this weed should be hand-pulled from Helds intended for seed. Next to wild buckwheat these seeds are the most prev.alent impurity in grain. Its hard flinty seed-coat makes it difficult to urind. -o that it commonly occur- \inground in feeding -tutTs made fnun poorly cleaiH'd grain. Hriiilinillnii. .\s for Wild Buckwheat. ^4 ^1 "^ .■yi^,-:%r-'i^.-fp WEEDS AM) WEED SEEDS. 37 Russian Pigweed {Axuria nmarnntoides L.) was first noticed in ("aniida in 1880, by the roadside at Ileadinfjly. Man., 14 miles west of Winnipeg, where it issaid tohavei)eeni)r'Might direct from Russia. It is now found along the railways throughout ijj,. the West, and has been <'ven detected on ;i rail- way bank as far east as St. .lolin, \.H. It is an annual, tall, coarse plant, from 2 to 4 feet high, erect and widely branching, very leafy. Wlii'u young much like Lamb's (Quarters, but paler grci'u with a more wand-like habit of growth, .•md instead of being mealy in appeal -ice it li;is soft, short, star-shaped hairs. When full-grown the whole plant forms a large pyramidal com- pound raceme; the stems, bracts and the papery calyx segmcii! - turn white jind make it very conspicuous. The seed is oval, flattened, ,i._, of an inch long, gray or brown with a silky lustre, surface minutely lined and wrinkled d sear a short thin groove acro>s the lower end; many seeds have )apery envelope, projecting abovi' the top as a '2-lobed winjt:. lly found in commercial samples, s badly infested >hould be thoroughly summer-fallowed luno ra 1 « lengthwise, ba !i close-fitting The se<'ds are 'asion Kniihaitinii. I'leh and the succeeding grain crop treated with tin inches high. iirrow when the plants are a few tiintifiiliii (J.I'.W. Mey.) is an in several localities in the dryer is \:^': M,, !\i^- ■^tr'" Russian Thistle (S,il.-l thrives where the land is t.io dry for other plants. It is bushy, of a prickly appe.ir.nice. due to the thill, thread-like, prickl, -tipped le;nes which ch,ir,'icterize the young plant, ^ . ^ and the short triple, spiuy ' _ bnicts (in ihe (lowering j^^^^ ^^^^ branches of the older pLint-. y^^v ^^^B'rent ^^^ ^^^^ 'l"he young plant is dark green, 0^1^ the slender li.ives, about two • inche- long, drop otT soon after the seed i> formed. The som'- what spheri.'al branched top of the mature i)lant. when broken away from the root. IS blown about b\ the wind .and sc;itters it> see.ls widelv. If is not a thi^le ;ind could be m( re appropri;\tely called a tumbleweed. Flowers s..litary, borne in theaxils of the leaves. The seed is about ,'„ of an inch in diameter', cone- r !:ijn-u, !,ii- r.irni run ioni .w. With a «eii m;iiked proiuiieranec in the centre of the cavity. The coat is thin and transparent, showing the grayish-brown, coiled germ. The seeds are geiiendly enclov..,! in a paperv •■nvelope, the divisions of which are winglike. They occur (piile freciuently in imported alfalfa eed. krwiicntiuii. Hadly infested fields should be seeded to gra-HS. Avoid sprinir cereal rrops. \l ^^-hSK^-^^ ■%^z 38 WEEDS AND WKED -d and etiually convex on both sides. An immature or shrunken se(>d has a narrow, slightly flattened marginal l)and, which marks the location of the ring-like germ, i'igweed s{>eds are (piite commonly found in clover aneds of other fodder pl.iiits. Thi-i weed occur- chielly on newly broken land in the I'rairie Provinces where it i- often abti'idant and a factor of no small im- portance in robbing the soil of moisture. It i-. however, seldom injurioii-^ on olil well-tilled -oil. 1^, ,v:' >v Kniiliailiiiii. ilarly di-cing of breaking. Nunnier-fallow followed iiy late spring liarrow- ULt of iirain crop. Spreading Amaranth .i ;;;::;-;;;••;;;;: t;/;;;;^^/,-: Wat:.;. HcHcmMcs i )inn..Ui Tumble Weecj but h.i- r.ither l.irge leaves and a pro-tr.ale manner of growth, forming m,ats upon the ground, i'lie seeds which occur in alfalfa may be told from other .\marantli- by their larger si/.e. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 39 Spurrey (Spergula arvensis L.) is an annual, now found and quite commonly in Krain fields in the eastern provinces and in parts of British Columbia Stem's branching from the base, G to 18 inches high, almost smooth, sparingly hairy above. Leaves narrowly linear, apparently in a circle around the joints of the stem but really in two oppo- site sets of 6 to 8 together, with"scale-likc, mod- ified leaves between them. Flowers white, the fruit hanging abruptly downward. The seed is dull black, lens-shaped or round and compressed, ..ith the margin extended into a narrow pale wing. The surface is more or less roughened with sinall, pale-coloured, elongated protuber- ances, like gland-tipped hairs. Hotli the pro- tuberances and the wing are sometimes absent when the seeds occur among comnKT- cial seeds. They are a com- mon impurity in grain grown in the Maritime Provinces Quebec and are occasionally found in timothy and alsike seed Common Chickweed {Skllaria media (L.) Cvrill.) is an introduced annual occurring in all parts of Canada where the soil is moist and rich; Steins difTu.sely branching, curving upward with a tendency to lie down. Hoots hair-like and exceedingly tough. Leaves ovate. Stems bearing a con- spicuous stripe of articulated hairs down one side. Flowers J inch in diameter, numerous, solitary from the axils of the leaves, in old plants in ter- minal leafy cymes; corolla white. Fruit cap- sules cone-shaped, spreading or hanging down, longer than the calyx. The .-Jced is small, t,',- of an inch in di;imeter, yellowish brown to dark '>rown, we(lge-kidney-shape.n annual introiluccd from Europe, now common in rich land, particularly in gardens; most abundant in the eastern provinces. It is a fleshy, prostrate, perfectly smooth plant, freely branching from a single central root, with fleshy reddish stems and dark green, alternate, obovate or wedge-shaped le ves mainly clustered at th" ends of the branc nes. I-'lowers stalkless, solitary, about J of an inch across, yellow, opening only on sunny mornings. Fruit capsule, membranou.--, many-seeded, tlie top coming off as the lid of a box. The seed is black, roughened but shiny, about ^„ of an inch in diameter, narrowly kidney-shaped, much as ^,l*^>d^''?^*V W\^^^^ '" *'"' '''"'^ family, and, like the seeds of most ^AV^^Cr^ Jkf^^^l^^'^ "^ ^'"^' '"'''"'"'•■'* "f *''''^ family, with a curveil "^ ■ ■ germ running around the outside of the seed. Eradication. -The seeds retain their vitality for several years. They do not germinate until the soil has become (juite warm and they have been brought near the surface by cultivation. Several years of car(>ful cultivation are retiuired to eradicate Purslane. Seeds that have formed will develop and mature on the fleshy stems of the plant after it has been cut which makes it necessary to remove and destroy the plants after cutting. The seeds are seldom found in commercial samples. Tall Buttercup ciallv in moist lands. i^ '« i 4-L -- ^ I ^ ■,r ■\ unciilit" .•'CI !i rains L. ) i> sionally found in wet abortivua L.) is common and <-!!!tiv:iti-d i}<'\>U (lianuiicidiis acrin L.) occurs throughout fanada, espc- It is a noxious we.'d with a poisonous, acrid, blistering juice; common in pastures .and meadows. Per- ennial, with fibrous roots. Stems erect, generally G~) hairy. The leaves in 3 divisions, each division •s'^^' stalkle.ss, 3-cleft or parted, with deeply lobe ' a in native light annual and iandv soils. winter Stems Peppergrass {Lepidium apelalum Willd.) i annual, widely distributed but most abundant erect, profusely branching alxjve, 6 inches to 2 feet high, .somewhat hoary with short appress- ed hairs. Autumn plants produce a rosette of dark-green, dee|)ly indented leaves, much like some specimens of Shepherd's Purse but more succulent. Stem-leaves with a few coarse teeth, narrowed at the base. The many nearly erect and spreading branches give this plant, when in seed, the appearance of a miniature tree, the numerous small, nearly round, flat pods taking the place of leaves; the real leaves fall away when the .seeds begin to ripen. The flow- ers are minute. The seed • ^~N pods are about ^'^ of an inch fA'j wide, heart-shaped, slightly Vwlf '""*'!'''■ *'"'" wide, notched at • IJP* '^'"' ^".P ""*' "* maturity .sep- arate into halves. The seed is about ^ of an inch in length, bright reddish-yellow, egg-shaped in outline, much flattened, blunt on the straight side and very thin or slightly winged on the rounded side; both sides show a rather deep groove in the middle. When moistened the seeds develop a large amount of mucilage. Although there are only two seeds in a pod, each plant produces thousands of seeds. They are a con on impurity in clover and grass seed, being especially abundant in timothy. A>(jr/('cn//o/(.— Thorough spring cultivation. Hadly infested fields should be disced or ploughed directly after harvest, cultivated"^ from time to time until winter and again until late June when they may lie planted or sown to a late fodder cro]). Field Peppergrac or Cow Cress (Lrpl'lntm comixsirr (L.) H. Hr.) is a biennial yet ran' in Canada but occurring in the clover-growing districts of On- tario wh-re it is increasing. The plant grows with two or three stems from the same root. The lower leaves are objong and toothless: those of the stem are spear-shapeil with blunt ends. The thick pods are broadly ovate, boat-shaped, being rounded below and hollowed out above. Each pod contains two seeds. The seed is ^'.j of an inch long, egg-shaped, but point(>d at the scar end. The surface is hnely roughened and'dull, with a mealv appearance. Two grooves, often filled witli mucilage, extend from tlie sharp lia.sal end almost to the other end of the seed. These .seeds are nt)w much more common than those of Peppergrass in red clover and alfalfa and are found to a less extent in alsike seed. 42 WKEDS AND WKEl) SEEDS. Shepherd's Purse (Caiisella Bur.sn-paMoris L.) is an annual and winter annual oceurrinn tlinnipliout Canada. The plants vary greatly. A seed-hear- inc plant may be a dwarf, little more than an incli or two hi)ili, or a vi)H)rous, branclung plant, three feet high, with many pods. There may be at the base a vigorous rosette of leaves, or non" at all. The leaves may Ik- deeply cut, i)innatifi(l, or without any teeth or division. The stem leiives are for the most part arrow-shaped, with two sharp, ear-like projections, one on ( ach side of the stem. The flowers are small and white. The .seed-pod is flat, triangular in shape, J of an ineh long, wedge-shaped at the base, notched at the top, with the outer angles rounded. ICaeh pod contains about 20 seeds. The seed is small, ._.', of an inch long, oblong, reddish brown, the surface dull and punctured. When put in water it develops a large amount of mucilage and a covering of long but very fine transparent hairs. The .seeds occur '(piite freipiently in alsike and grass seetl and occasionally in red clover. Shepherd's Purse has an enormous power of propagation: a single ])lant will riix'ii 50,000 seeds. In meadows which have been thinned by winter killing the vigorous rosettes of autumn-started plants will crowd out grass and clover. The si>ed is a common imi)urity of alsike and timothy seed but is so small that it may be easily removed by a fine woven wire sieve. Ermlituitori. — Summer-fallow. Spring cultivation. Hoed crops. i.i into ven wit lies it c Rocket or Rocket Salad (Erucu xntira Lam.) has recently been introduced Ontario, jirobably with European alfalfa seed, and is now- frequently re- ported. It is a hairy annual, somewhat resembling Wild Mustard. The leaves are i)innatifid, with a large terminal lobe. The flowers are yellowish-white, characteristically netted with dark purple veins, aromatic. The pods are shorter than tho.se of Wild Mustard, upright, the beak broad and tiat. The seed is a little larger than that of Wild Mustard, flattened, olive-brown, the miniature root of the germ generally lighter in colour. It is pungent and bitter, with a flavour characteristic of radish. The seed is occasionally present in European alfalfa seed. The jilant is .seldom referred to as a noxious wet'd in Europe but it should not be allowed to mature its seeds in cultivated crops. Many of our worst weeds have been intro pliint is from 2 to 3 feet high and of a ragged appearance, flowers small, pale yellow. I'ods slender, hard and brittle: when mature, closely pressed to the few-branched stt'm. Seeds s;>me{imt--s found in ti'iioiliv r-f-etl. Tlu-y n-M-mblu sotiu-- what the seeds of Tumbling Mustard but are larger. Eradication. TW\s weed is easily destroyed along roads and waste places by cutting to prevent it from seeding. 44 WKKDS AND WKF.D SEKDS. • 9 Worm-saed Mustard {Erysimum rheiranthoidcn L.) is a native annual and wintc annual, frequently fDUiul in waste places anc on cultivated land tliroufjliout Canada. Stems erect, simple or branch- inn, t> inches to 2 feet hinh. Whole i)Iant sometimes slightly hoary with short, star-like hairs. Leaves dark nrct'ii. lance-shaped, sparsely toothed Flowers hrifjht yellow, J of an inch across, in terminal clusters about i inch across, on uradually clonKatinR racemes. Seed-pods slightly curved, from § to 1 inch lonn, obtusely 4-annled, erect on spreailing footstalks. Each pod contains about 2') seeds. An average plant will ripen about 2.1, 000 seeds. The seed varies somewhat in size and shai)e. generally pointed at one end, rounded at th>^ other, about .,\ of an inch long, red- dish yellow, with a dull surface but almost destitute of mucilage. Scar end darkened. The miniatur(> root of the germ is conspicuous. The seeds are very bitter, and on account of their very disagreeable taste some kinds of stock especially hogs, will "-('fuse to eat chop made from grain contain- ing any appreciable (luantity of it. This seed is sometimes prevalent in con- siderable quantities in elevator screenings. It is also a very conmion impurity in alsike and timothy, especially from western Canada. Eradication. — The seeds are short-lived, and so this mustard is kept under control on land worked under a short crop rotation with clean cultivation. Kail cultivation of stubble 'and, followed by discing in spring before seeding, will keep this pest in check. Small Wall-flower {Erysimum pari'ijlunim N'utt.). iiiennial or winter annual. A stoutisli sj)ariiigly i)ranched plant with yellow flowers and upright or spreading pods which are thicker but shorter than those of Worm-seed Mus- tard. Height fron- 10 to 20 inches. This is a late seeder and the pods retain many of the seeds throughout the winter. The seeds themselves are about the same length as tb'wc of Worm-seed Mustard but average much wider and arc squarer at the end.--, practically never pointed. They are common impurities in western timothy. The plant sometimes causes injury to grain on poorly prepared fallow. Eradication. — Spring cultivation. When grass lands are liadly infested they .diould be plouglie(l up. Western Wali-flower (Erysimum aspcrum DC.l. Has habits lik(> the former but the Howers are much larger and the pods very long and wi year. Proper drainage and short rotation of crops. Prairie Roses (Ro.ta pratincoln Creene or Rom arknnsnnn of Canadian writers, which includes Roxn nriciilaria. var. Bonrycauinnn Crepin) are sometimes troublesome in parts of the I'rairie Provinces. In .southern Manitoba thi.s dwarf, large-flowered rose is very persistent. Its deep perennial rootstocks send up many flowering shoots from the axils of the scales. The seeds vary greatly in size and shape, averaging about i of an inch long, generally irreg- ular-angular, with hard, yellowish shells. They are often found in the screenings of western grain and quite frequently ill seed wh.'at. To destroy roses the land should be ploughed with a sharp plough in hot weather and then doulile disced at intervals of a week or ten (lavs. 40 \VEEDS AND WKKD SKKDS. Sweet Clovers {Melilolus otfiriiinli.^ (1..) Liiin.) niid (Meltlutus alba Desr.) are common hionniiil waysidi' wi-i-ils, the latter, or White Sweet Clover, hcinn * much more prevalent than the yellow species. Sweet ^ "^ Clover ,> ([uite ct mmon in cultivated fields in part> of Quebec, and is being introduced into many other parts of Canada. It is naturalized from Europe, a tall ascending .)lant 3 to 8 feet high, fragrant in dryinfr, hranchinn. smooth, sometimes with fine hairs on the younner hran- ches. Leaves rathi r far apart with 8 narrow leaflet>. \ to 5 inch, saw-edtied. leaf-stalks about as lonn as the leaflets. Flowers numerous, small, white, arranged in slender spike-like racemes, l\ to 4 inches in length, becominn longer in fruit. The pod is thin, small, I, inch, ejitr-shaped, liuhl to dark brown, covered with a network of ridges, and having a short, stiff point at the tt)p. Thtre are from ;}0 to oO pods on a stalk; eai'h pod contains one seed. The seed is hard, small. J of an inch in length, smooth, dull yel'ow, evenly egg- shaped, with a \ -shaped light mark running from the scar. The seeds are com- mon in ct)mmercial samples of red cl >ver and ah'alfa and are sometimes found in idsike. The seed is oc(asionallv found in ihe pod, with the sharp point broken off. Kradicnlion. — Hoed crops. Three year rotation of crops. Black Medick (Medicago hiindinn L.), introduce(l from Kurojie, annual, is a common weed in clover fields and lawns, thriving in moist soils. It grows from (> to IS inches in height, hardly erect, mucli branched, sometimes hairy, leaves bright grei'n. small, of ',\ leaflets. Flowers small, bright yellow it) short do.se spik<'s, J to J of an inch long, be- coming longer in fruit. I'sually the bright llowi i heads and ' 'ack cluster of fruit may be seen on the same plant as the seeds ripen quickly. The pod is thin, small, not more than J inch hmg. kidui'v-shaped with one ■• n ' coiled, dark brown or black, rough-ridged, the main ridges following the outline of the pod. There arc sometimo 'M) pods in one cluster, but each pod contains only oih' M'cd. The seed is little more thati ^^of an inch long, hard. smooth an>l >omewhat shining, egg- shaped rather than kidiiey- ; " shaped, yellow to pale olive sharp projection near the >car fmm whi.''i a is green. It toward-' the l.irger end of the seed pie< 4)f nil chuf-, alsike .Mild alfalfa ill the pod. It is sometime" il-ed a- I'JoMT and Hl.'ick Medick .are soinetiin) fMJfa seed. The\' arc both lliirkcr and -(I'd is kidney-shaped if Sweet confused with each other and ith al- horter. beini: egg-slia|)ed. while alfalfa ngled .>Weet ( 'lover Mcd ma\ i/e and the V-shaped liuht tiiere 1- a ^ll.■lrp project ion lie distingiii^lied from HIack Medick by it-; largir mark running from liie scar. Witti iilai k Miiiick near I he ^car from whu'ii a light single line run- iciwar^l- tlie largi r enil ot the seed /','/'i|(//('i|/))H -Of value fur -heejl pasture. lined criip'. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 47 incur with the tips slmrp and 2 inciics lonK, 4 to 12-s('('(li'(l. Wild Tare or Wild Pea {Vicia angustifolia (L.) Reichard) is an introduced jinnual, wicJelj' distributed in cereal crops and ii8 a wayside weed in eastern Canada. The phmt is hairless or downy. Stem slender, simple or branched at the base. Leaves are composed of 2-5, rarely (3, pairs vf linear or lance-shaped leaflets. I'lowers \ to J inch h)nK, purjile, 1 or 2 in the upper axils of the leave; I'ods black and turned upwards. The seed is round, ranj;in>t from ,'„ to ,\ of an inch in diameter, velvet}- black or olive brown, mottled with white and dotted »vith fine. Iilack spots; the whitish scar about ! the circumfer- ence of the .seed in leiinth, thin, threadlike. The seeds are a common im- purity in grain grown in the Maritime Provinces, Queliec and [larts of Ontario They are especially objec- tionable in oats requirc(l for mdling. .V short rotation of crops designed to prevent Wild Tare from seeding will suppress it. Wax-ball or Three-seeded Mercury [Acnlypha virginiai L.) is a native jinnual common in river tl.its ami low fields in Ont.'irio and eastward. It is a leafy plant, 1 (o 2 fi'et high, with long-stalked, ovate leaves. It givc> trouble in pa-tures, meadows and fields. On accoun' of its acrid juice it is avoided by livt! stock and entails con- *,- •iideruble waste wherever it occurs. The seed is about ,'^ of an ■--' inch long, comparatively .soft, with a thin coat finely striated, uray to yellow brown spotted with dark brown, sometimes reddish brown free from spots. It is ovoid, pointed at one end, rounded at the other. There is a dark slightly raided line running from the round end to the scar on the same side of the seed. Thi' scar is one-third tlie length of the seed, ol)iong, raised and wliile. The seeds are (piite frecpiently found in clover seed. ^. Sun Spurge [Kiii>ltor)>in Ihliosciijiid L.) introduced, is an ere( abundant in eastern Canada. .Mode of flowering, nearly Hat-topped, like, surrountled at the ba>e with a whorl of stalkless, ubovate, finely and thickly dentate leaves. Pod or eapsule smooth and > en. li-lobed. The seed at first sight soniewhat resemble^ the pods of Mall Mustard in niiniaturc. When exaniiiiiMJ closely, however, it is i-a^ily recognized. It is rounded-oval in outline, rolling lleely on a smooth surface, a lillle flattened on one face, with a sharp central ridge running to the apex. The sides iif the seed .'ire not .■iilglcd, the whole surface coarsely nialti'il; >car kidnc> -s|i;iped. while and very conspicuous The seeds are sei- iliim found in commercial samples. ^Suii Sp\iigc i- .1 common \\ivi\ in 9 ^^^^Hganleiis an^^ «ii if svv\\ late in tlM'sununrr. It will f k v: not long trouble lands worked under a s|i()rl rotation with clean cultivatior 48 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Round-leaved Mallow, Low Mallow or Cheeses (Maiva rolundifoUa L.) — Naturalized from Europe. Biennial. Low and spreading from a deep root branched from the ba.se, stems 6 to 18 inches long. Leaves round-heart-shaped on long and slender stalks, margin scalloped and toothed. Flowers in threes or fours in the an- gles of the leaves, on slender flower-stalks, \ to \\ inches long. Flowers about \ inch wide, white, sometimes tinged with blue or pink. The fruit is made up of about 1.") seed vessels, arranged in a ring, \ of an inch in diameter and called the chee.se (see illustration). The seed with its light-coloured outer coat on is a little more than ,'fl of an inch and a litth? less with the coat off. The secil itself is hard, smooth, al- most round, with a small piece out of one side of it ; '' it is gray to dark brown in 'Vi^' v. ^■' colour with a white line around the scar. It is found in clover samples both with and without its outer coat. Spiny Sida {S,i(ia spinosa L.), a profuselv branched herb, about 1 foot high, covered with soft hairs, is another weed ol secondary importance belonging to the Mallow family. The leu.es are oblong or egg-shaped on long footstalks, dentate, with sharp teeth pointing ft)rward. The flowers are greenish-yellow, small and shaped like those of the Hollyhock. Erndiciition. -dood drainage. Hoed crops. Pasture with sheep. Common St. Europe, is common John's-wort (//'//» the Hruce peninsula bee, and eastwani t ticitm Hook), with il tario- and Wi'^twiird John's-wort {Hmxricum pcrftirdliim L.) introduced from in pastures, uld meadows and roadways from Nova Scotia to Ontario. Perennial by lunneVs at the woody base of the erect, much-branched, somewhat 2-edg<'d stem Leaves opposite without teeth or divisions, elliptic or linear oblong, black-dotted along the margin like the corolla divisions. Flowers deep yellow, grouped into terminal, loose cymes. The seed.s are borne in three- celled, ovoid pods. They are about ,', of an inch long, cylindrical, rimnded at the ends, witli a minute point. The surface is rough, pitted, a little shiny, dark brown to black in colour. The seeds occur very rarely in grass seeds. Some allied species are (|uile common in differ- ent parts of the country. Great St John's-wort iHypiricum Asryrun L.) is a common, coarse-growing weed in low rich soils and about swai?ips in Quebec and Ontario, occasion.'dly occurring in old me.'ul- ows and pastures along river flats. Spotted or Corymbed St. niuin jtHnrUiliim Lam.) about 2 feel high, is abundant in iif Lake Huron and (luife general throughout Ontario, Que- o Nova Scotia, Pale St. John's-wort (Uypi-ncum ellip- s bright yellow flowers, is common in Ouebee, northern On- to. L!»k>- VVinr,ii«'g 11 Eradtcatwn. —Avoid griLss crops. Itepeatcd clow cutting in waxte places. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 49 \., Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) is a tall, coarse bien- nial which occurs throughout the country and is easily recognized by its tall branching habit (4 ft. by 3 ft.), its soft, downy, lance-" shaped leayes, and its large showy, yellow flowers which open in the evening. This species makes only a rosette of leaves the first year. For this reason it appears only in crops sown in autumn or on stubble. In thin clover fields it .sometimes occurs conspicuously and should be either spudded out or cut off below the crown in the first season; or the tall flowering plants should be cut off below the surface and pulled out before the seeds ripen. The seeils are produced in large numbers in long, tapering, 4-celled capsules, 2 rows of seed in each cell, which are clustered all along the stems. They are about ,Lj of an inch long, dark reddish-brown, and with a rough- H ^H f ened surface much angled by com- pression in the pods. They are a very common impurity in clover and grass .seed, being especially abimdant in timothy. .\s the pods do not easily shed their seeds and the plants are at all times conspicuous, much contamination of .-ieed crops may be prevented by a little care at harvest time. Eradication. -Prevent seeding. V White Evening Primrose ((knothra pallida I.indl.) is a native perennial occurring in Manitoba and westward to IJritish Columbia. It is deep-rooted and very persistent in sandy land. The roots are white and fleshy, wide-spreading and throw- ing up flowering stems at intervals, thus forming large patches. Stems mostly simple, shining white, sparsely downy above, erect or nearly so, about A feet high. Leaves from I to 4 inches long, narrow and waved, .sometimes pinnatifid but usually without teeth or divisions in plants found in the West. Mowers a.xillary, large and handsome, IJ inches across, waxy-white, turning pinkish as they fade, open in day time, odour unpleasant. Tips of the calyx divisions at the ends of the buds free, as 4 little points. Capsules narrow and curved, 4-angle(l. about 1 inch long with the seeds in single f the four ceils. The s» d is about ,'« of lui inch long, normally iU rows in eai'h ;^^f r-^^^t^ spindle-shaped but angular and somewhat twisted by (i(in in the pod smooth and mucilaginous when soaked, yellowish-bn.wn; under micro.scope minutely dotted with black anil faintly .striate lengthwise; not found in com- mercial samples, Kniiltcalion. Plow an leaflets lanc-hapod doer, y toothed. Flowers .. ,all, whit,- inrmpll" urn .rolla-hke ,. lusters 1 to 4 inelu.s aeross the 1 ttle footstalks of the many flowere.l .seeondary clusters unequal, from 1 to 2 in.'hes long The see.l ,s ,V of an inch long, smooth, ovate pressed on the sides, sepant- inff into boat-shaped, ribbed halves. When out across, the ^V' iVtv i\rrZ> •''«'P«l« «»'»«• four oil tubes be- ( v^^-Xj^ \i' (pv t^r" t»»^ >::•'« and two on th, ^ ^ * .flat side. They do not oecur eom- in oonunereial .samples ur The and. like them. h..,\e ,, str,.n„ "t '".:J^. '"'^; ^''^ '"'"" '*.'"'' ''■<'■ ^'"all parsnim a and It ike them, have a strong aromatic claimed that the flowering plants iinimals \vithout any ill effects, but tliat offectiv<' n niedv Hand pulling is the most t I V'" """^ ■-■iiiiii parsnips o( our, apparently attractive to stock when cut with hay, may be oaten bv tlio se..d-bearing plants are dangerous b tive annual, one-half to two foot high lower lo-^t '. ''''"''''' ^ ""' •^^ ;;r-n;Kt-:-»^^ ••'•--' ""•••f •*"-'.>■ VH:ri:^eof'^Hr;i'in^ vation and readilv grow when. pLr "'"a """ ''"^^''^ ''>• ^'""i- Pinkish or white. I.oav r l^n r i. 1 '"l""'' """"'^ ''"■«'' "'"' ''''"«v, ^l-aped. The seeds are I., unllk^M ^ ". 'f "d' , ;;S::.''' l'\ T'""^^'-' ^l""- twico as largo. This is „ v.tv i.c-i-to,. '.','•","'"'""' '"'^ avorago noarlv of Manitoba, ,n,,,..„,,„, v;z::zx'::i,!:''t::, •::;;:""'"■'>■ '" '--'^ Fahe Phlox i(;tl,„ hmans ,.\,„,, (;,.av iu-hos high wiui^oi; ::i vo::;,^ "m.:i h-ifL- , ,;'""""' ;"• ^■'""•'- -""'«'• - rf«-*V^ It,] ao.l ,|„Mil,l not mi:.!'.;. ..."I'-\ •"'. '"':{::'^ <•'••'" <"«ioihy ler persist in ciiltivatod tield- misk. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. June Weed (Kllisia \,irtt'lfa F i a i : ".■ \\-..l. [„ ri,„.„in« it turns a hara' ■ M " -i''' '""''• '";".''" ^''^ "=""" 'ly rvvaf:nv/A',\ ,-von uIum. ,I,,,(I '•"•'"< n>ti( l.la.^k c.U.ur and is thus read- Pigeon Weed ■:if. It i.- ... -■:-'<-. <>ntari..an:iS.i^:rr",;f-';;7';i'''; "'■'•'"- Iiist.;a(l ..f Imvin^r n.unh p,„j,.,.ti,,ns it is ,!.,,.' an; .rn., jHy ,roov..,i \vi/h pn,n;in;.m H |£ ni-.l..y,h,...asds..a.;\.i:^?i:;^; :^';:,-;;f; '-.•.n«l..,|; ,nst,.a.l „f the pit at th. i „ 'v an ••xcavatcd surface, it |,as ., ^ m '■"..v.xsurfa.v witlitvv.,|i^l„". B^ ^^ ^ -•"iour.Ml .hstinrt ,.„n.s. Thcs,. VlP ^ ® .i.MU.d fall wheat an.l rve and •"■'■ "n'asi„n,dly f„und in .•I.,- I-) is iihundant a widely i)ran,.h- :\ t(. aniile Ver seed. Knuliaili„ii, Land i. eliidinir Krain sow,, i„ ,|„ <''«>|.s. Plants whieh start «n,wth ,„ phuiKhuin ,,r .iiseinjj 't'^t cleaned of Piireon \V I 1.,. i :."H..v..--iof^u;::^:;;!:?.u'';:,--^^^^^^ ''''''''''•'-'■" l- ■'-•.-•v.'ai.v fall or 'ph;'^ Fl..wers viole,-l,|„e. s!;; '„r': ";!;;:;:,.-;. h sharp, forwam-po.nt summit. The seed is |,roun .'! , '"^ "'"'^''■^ =" 'I'"' -arat the l.ottomo te ,.:";'; Tl '"''"• "l^"'^'' ''='-' v.'x, im.Kularlv ri.lK,.,| | m,L I wi'; ' i ','"' ",""''" f""'" '^ '".'- sxl.'s. The im.er f.ce ' , o' > ''' "''■'"''''>■ ""«''''l at llie a.^Kl.-l central i,L 'H ' ;,M "" '"i"'*^'" •'""' " ^'''"I'lv- Kr.Mss seeds. Ml,,.*: \Vr ,„ ', '.<"""l Ml timothy and o her •i<'..s. It seld,, , ,i , ;. ,1';:"^ "' •"■ ' -i' i.' St .i,,.,. •'•"..".'-"'"• land an.l rultivaliiiK it thorou«hlv fi'et hijfh: iiiK teeth. 52 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. American Dragonhead {Dracocephalum paniflorum Nutt.) is a native annual or biennial quite widely distributed in the Prairie Provinces. The seeds are much like those of Hedge Nettle, but longer (J inch) and M narrower, being twice as long as wide, more angular and some- what winged and wrinkled along the angles near the apex. The basal scar is large and curved, with a slit in the middle, giving it the appearance of a mouth; colour dark brown; the outer <'onvex face distinctly ridged lengthwise and granular roughened. The seeds are fremaller, .'tbnut 1 of an inch long. It is bro.'iilly egg-shapeij in outline, one surf.'ice rounded, the other bluntly keeled from the round, ^^ Hat, depressed sc;ir up to the ^B^ ""■ ^^■«""" ^'»^*«^^'-" Canada and nor"h^rnAll trta giviiiK trouble only in moist, low lands in grain uiLri. AiDtrta, fields and meadows. It is perennial hv a tuber- like rootstoek producing many runners. Stem (■rect, leafy, its edges with ('oarse. downward turned hairs. L.-aves sfalkless, lance-shaped, oblong, tapering at the apex, rounded at the base with rounded teeth, hairv. Flowers pale red or spotte.l, formed into a hmg, interrupted spike of () to lO-flowered whorls :it the axils of leaves- calyx half the length of the corolla, bristly hairv with spiny teeth. The seed is a dark brown or black nutlet, aliout .'-j of an inch long, egg-shaped, point- ed at the li.'ise. which bears a small, shrunken scar. The one side is sharjily keeled from the scar up" to two- thirds the length of the seed; surfac,. dull, finely wrinkle.l. Tli.. se,.,ls an- fouml abun.lant'lv among s'cn.^i'nL- of gn;;!s's"ed "'• '"""■ f''"'"""»'>- "' -■•"' «■•"'" "■"• "'•'•asionaiiybi'!^; "!"";:;;;[ (lood /:m,,r()^,>».-(,ood drainage. cl..an cultivation with short rotation of crnn« will ..he.'k this weed ank, flat, round or oval, ili>c-like, rotigliened with tubercles and surrounded with .1 circular wing, .'is broad as the secil itself, finely radiate. The seldom occur .iinong crop seeds. EmdimlHw. .Short rotation of croi)s, with ,h.<.p, thorough cultivation in p.ring am fall will suppress foad Flax. Iladly infesf.l mea.lows or pasture hinds sh.Milcl be brought un.ler cultivation by ploughing in ,lulv,summei-faMowini£ until autumn and planting with hoed croii the followl-"-- s>'>ri.... ,^^^^^'-*''^:^ 54 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Common Plantain (Plnntwio major L.) is a native perennial which occurs throunliout the Dominion, jjenerally in rich, moist soil, often in lawns and door- yards. Hootstock short and thick, hearing many thick-spreading roots and a large tuft of dark green, oval, long-stalked, coarsely-toothed, spreading or upward curving leaves, strongly nerved underneath, and several dense spikes, '■i to 12 inches long, of inconspicuous tlowers with purple stamens, t^a'd capsules oval, divid- ing about the middle. The seed is about ._,\, of an inch long, greenish-brown, variable in" size an number in the cap- sule (which varies from 8 to Iti), rounded on the outer face, angular on the inner scar-bearing face; scar pale and cons))icuous. The surface of the .seed is finely netted with dark brown broken waved lines, which radiate from the scar. The seeds are a common impurity in timothy and clover seed. Plantain occurs in various forms, some of which niav be distinct inlown loiiK distances by the wind, locally by runninn roo't.stocks and soon forms large pat (Ioldenro an. most ahuii.laiit in moist grounds and p; even .'Ultivatcl fields. It is sometimes .-sterns; g.'uerally bristlv hairv. Leav. sprea.l, an.l not stiires. but is found in ineailow land and tall and mu.'h branched, with wan.l-like - without teeth or divisi.)ns. lin.-ar, the ba.sal .ini's .lentate. The nuniiTouN sin-ill wl-ite Hm i....,.i . f ,.,,. ■ , l^rTl'"!' "V '""•"""V""';'-""'" ""<1-' " sh.u-t' i;'.tati.m'.y.:n,ps'with the wvi-ds cut before they .levelop seed. ■»f!T»^?«»!?l!S?t9# --^ 50 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. Poverty Weed (Iva axillaris Pursh.) is a native perennial oeL-urring in urain fields and pastures from Manitoba to the interior of British Columbia, thriving in all soils but Renerally found on land where there is some alkali. The whole plant has a rank odour. Stems herbaeeous, branching, nearly erect from tough, woody extensive root- stocks t) to 12 inches high, very leafy. L»'aves thick, rough-hairy; the lower ones opposit" the upper alternate. Flower heads drooping, soli- tary, on short footstalks, from the a.\ils of the upper leaves, j^ of an inch across, inconspicuous. The seed is J of an inch long; cohnir variable, olive green, yellowish brown surface mealy and dull; pear- shaped, slightly flattened, There are seldom more than one or two seeds in each flow- er head and many heads have none. ._ Enulication.—Povvrty Weed propagates mainlv l)v its underground stems which .send up many flowering leafy shoots, ami is difficult to eradicate when it becomes well established in the rich soils of western Canadi'. Ploughing for sum- mer-fallow should be clean tind deep, followed bv frecpient cultivation with a broad-shared cultivator. to almost black. tf^ False Ragweed {Iva xnnthifoUn Xutt). .V coarse annual growing from 1 to G feet in height. It resembles a Ciant Hagw.-ed but has the leaves less divided while the seeds are small and pear-shaped, slightlv flattened and black clustered together m small heads. The weej^S'^ :j^ WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 57 c-ultivated fields. 'Abundant in ( uel.,.'rt;..r J' '"""'"^^■■' ""'' '"'--••nally in ranud." 'fr '"?-"/"f<"l"'-l fr..m western Janada. 1 he plant is eoarse, n.URJi-hairv )fl(>w . J,e..iv..s thick, without teeth or divisions he lolvT """", "'•'';"K-''"'<-'-sl.arHMl, stalkless! Hards the base „„ footstalks. The n.o,h. of floweruiK .s l.y showy, frniinal. usually sol ta tH^ids, KlamiK K„ den orange, about the siz<. f thos.. of ()x-,.ye Daisy. Hays 10 to 20, n.ue no« to keep it in eh..ek when their pasture ?s quality ofZ h ;.•'', ;:rd;utinjr''''i'''^' "''"•"■'^ *'"■ >'"'•' ""<' '"-"•- «<''-"lin»r, will suppn.ss it "^ ^"' " ^''''' >' '"■' *" ""■'■" ' ' '" " . - 111,- \ if-m and lowers tno to prevent the plant from ^-^ i\ flower^ P?a?r?.l! Sunflower iHrh„ntln,.s srnh,rn,n< picuous in urain fi,,|,i,. -p,„. ar st j.n.,^e or sparingly branche.l. r,.u«h" ha ;: is d the bright rays is .lark. With the latter t h li.s . ,s yel ow. The s..eds are about on..- MXth of an ,n,.h long, brown, variable in si ... 'nt, t1.itten..d and rather angular, grooved lengthwise, eross-mottled with irreguli.r.Mg^^ag white lines; b(,|h scars, at the t<>|) and the bas... are conspicu- ous, the latter rather obli,,ue. Incy are often abundant in screenings „f western grain and freurn„lrs !,„„.). .-los-.h- allie.l t., ,1 , ""t NO abun.lant but iidiv .iitficii.t to eradicate. season. two picci a summer-fallow Wild Artichoke •iHiji r|;(ci( p^n^'irissuRr"^ m^-3A5\Mimmmi ■"-I'^s. 58 WEEDS AND WEEli SEEDS. Stinking Mayweed (Anthemin Colula I. introduced from Europe. A common weed in 111', jil"' Y aiont; ro!ild settlements, around l>uildinKs, waste places, from the .\tli .die where it is rare as yet and found , l)Ut is rapidly appearing in new lijeclionaliie pest in field.s and "t^^ )f an inch ;>/':-:■ ■';^ 10 longitudinal row 1.1 Hardens; most abundant where crops have killed out in wet places. The plant is dull Hreen, sligt.tly hairy or hairless, with an acrid taste and a strons, fetid odour. Stems 12 to IS inches hi|iii, mucli branched from the root up. Leaves finely dissected, twice or thrice pinnatitiil. I'Mower heads numerous, white, yellow-eyed, daisy-like, enly about one inch in diameter. The seed is small. at)o' lohfj. ovate-ohlonp. or oblouH. cut otT straight at the upper enil. with a small knob in the centre, the smaller end al)ruptly pointed. The surface roughened with tubercles arranged more or less symmetrically in al)out sometimes, however, the surface is nearly smooth. The .seeds are a common impurity in grass and clover seeds. The dust from Mayweed, Ragweed and .some other species of iliis family, i>roduced in threshing, is irri- tating if not poiscmous and the pollen often produces hay fever when the plants are in flower. Eradication. — (lood drainage. Repeated close cutting in waste places. Yarrow (AchilUn miUcfoUiim L.). Perennial with finely dissected fern- like leaves and flat-topped clusters of white or pinkish flowers. The .seeds are flat, chaff-like; about ^\ of an inch long; darker centre. They are not uncommon impurities in timothy, western Canada. Eradication. — Hoed crops. Pa-ture with she;-p. whitish with a parlicidiirlv in Common Ragwort {.SV perennial from a few shallow. li's> angled, with short bristle^ and broader; pappus white. A'/(((//cu/(o/i. — Rotation of ■nccio Jncolxico L.), introduced from Kurope, is diort, thick rootstocks. It is abundant in I'ictou and Antigonish counties in Nova Scotia and in parts of Prince Edward Island; also re- porird from Quebec and some parts of On- tario. Ragwort is the cause of a curious and f.'ilai disease of the liver in ctittle. Stem stiff, erect, grooved, 2 to 15 feet high, much branched above. l{oot -leaves ti to S inches long, stalked; stem-leaves -talkless, embracing the stem; all leaves diirk green, deeply twice pinnatitid. Flower heads golden-yellow and very showy; ] of an inch across; numerous, erect, .'trranged in flat topped, dense, compound corymbs. The seeds are about ,\, of ;in inch long, creamy white, oblong, ex- cavated at the top. with a small central |)oiut, deeply grooved along the sides; those of the I'entre almost straight, more or ; those of the ray-flowers siuooth, much curv(>d They are seldom found in commercial samples, crops, ("lose cutting in pastu.-es. WEEDS AND WEED (SEEDS. 59 V„Jf^^ 7- ^<*™'?«" burdock (Arctium minus Ber.,h.). intnuiuced from older' ;:t Id ;;S.. ■■""' " *'"'''' /"'•'^ '?'^-.'""*- ^^ -■<•"- in H^; land nr omtr scituii provinces; conunon l)v roadsides in waste places and orchards in sod. Hoot-leaves lar^e heart-shape.1, d„wny heneath, somewhat reseml)hnK those of rhuharh. foot.staliis hollow HowerinK sterns much hranch.d, fr„m .i to (> feet hiKh. !• lowers purple. The s.-ed is al)out ' „f an inch lonjj, pale hrown with .lark, transverse ziRzaK depressed marks, ohlonx ovoi longitudinal ridgos ttenerally somewhat .rved: ^^_ ^^ apical scar circular with a ^^B ^^^ central point: when ^^H ^^V present, consisting of several ^^m ^^m ''"^^'^ o*^ ""t'ort up- ^V ^H wardly ^V ^H not -■ read throufth coin- ^B ^B mercial seeds to any extent. • ■ ^ E'ldicntion.- villi voung plants. Cut with spade he- low crown. Cut and hurn f mature plants Bull()r Spear Thistle {Cirsnim lamrolntum (L ) Hill biennial, introduced from Kun.pe, 2 to 4 feet high, wide large, deep p.irpj,. H„„-,.r he.'ids, IJ inches IukIi 1 across. The seed is similar to that of C larger, ai)out one-sixth of tion to thi IS a large, coarse l.\ l>ranching, with many i>y as niuch Thistle, hut , , ," ""'i lo"^^ plumper in iiroiior- . length. g..ner,illy ,l:,rker at the broader end grayish l.rown in colour, marked with faint longitudinal lines. It occurs sonx tim.'s in seed grain. l)ut verv seldom if ever in clover or grass s I. H„ll Thisth' doe. trouble in well cultivated ficld< If !•;• waste pla .,-s l.y .•iittnig l.eluw ti,,. crown .'itiier the first v.'ar or before the sc,..ls HmtS'ii'eiwHv!:' '""'■ '' •"• ='"""-""" "^ =' "-"f"' ''^ -'» "' t'-' -"t ai^'- not give ■radicated from , ir Thistle Thev are Russian Knapweed (Anoplilon I'lms. DC, is a species „f s th.. seeds of which ...■cur fre.pa'ntly in samples „f Kun.pean alfalfa very easily .seen among the alfalfa s.v.ls as thev aiv larger and bright white, rarely fing.^d with v,.|l„w a"; tl nds 1 he seeds ar.^ liar.i, smooth and somewhat shining, with fin.' v.^rtical Imes or ii.lg,.s which may 1... distinguish.-.l with an ordinary magnifying gh.sss. The n.,fh at th.^ end .,f ttie see.l, whi.^h is so ehara-'teristi.- ..f mo-^t .)f th. Star Thi-^tles IS wanting in this species. The s I is about ' of an in.h' long and half as wi.h'.v..|ym.arlyth.. same size and shane ''VV'"\ " u'^V'L''.'''^^'" '"" '••"•^■•"' "•^■••'>'v -'" '"'tl. ^ides while the Hull 1 histh^ S.M..I is a litth' l.mg.Man.l straight.r in ::";'.'";■.,•;•;"!''■ ^"''' "'"' " " ."'■■ ■•"••V ■•" ^i»- ..H-r. This .^tm Thistle se..,| is •T., sMnU- .1 appciraiKT-. v,h,Tea, (1„. Hull Tiii.-ti.' seed is jv,av or v.-llowish brown with . arker Imes an.l a y..||ow ban.l aroun.l th. top, forming 1 t .'; : from the c,.ntr.. of whi.^1, pn.jects a simrt r id.'.l knob. Th.' Ac>^^t,^uplll H the .,nly pur., white w,....l s..c.l foun.l in .■omm,.nial san ,i;. C^an md '' "■•■'<'''>■ ^-•••"".i.s t., .,r.li„,..ry cultivation with rotauon f crop \yQ m^-^^w^jmw'^^^ 60 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. ^^■f Fall Dandelion or August Flower (Leontodon (iutumri(iti.s L.) is a peren- nial introdueed friim Kiirope. Atiundunt in tlie Maritinie Provinces and parts ;rass. Hootstock short and thick, fre(iuently divided !¥ A \J' *y '"*" ^fveral heads, each of which hears a tliick U ^'^f I '"''' "^ f<><>tl>"v cereals. ^i^ lines crosswise r aliout the liefore the Common Dandelion (Tamiwum offinnah- Weher) is a well-known pest of all louK-si'ttled districts. |t is very common in lawns and almost impossible to eradicate when thorounhly estalilished. It differs from Fall Dandelion in havintj lonjt, deep, ta|)erin({ roots, every part of which, if hroken otT. will throw i>ut leaves and form new plants, as well as in having hollow, sinnle-headed flower stalks. Tlie see I is ahoul i of an 'U'- ' f ""<'•• l<>i-<'<'d runs into a beak, about one-third of an inch loiin, crowned with a white, thin pap- pus, half the IcIlKlh of the beak. This be.ik breaks off easily and is not present on seeds found in commerci.d samples. Red-seeded Dandelion Crnnixorum I iiilhnisiii iftiiini .\ndr/..) occurs •.villi the prec.Mlintj .and ditTers from ii inerelv by havinit more deeply divideil lcav.> sulphui-yeHow. -mailer head- of flower-, and red.lish-purple seed-. Knulnalm,,. It is important to prevent danlions from -eedinu in land.^ ailj.acent to lawn-. Though eniailinit much labour th.. nio-i -ati-faetorv way to .leal with tliem, when .I.eply rooted in lawn-, is to |.M,-en the -oil with a -liif- KinK fork and pull them up. Th..|oU(rh and repeated -piaviiiK with -ulphate of "■"» '^ >"< mniviidrd for lawn- where this pe«t i- prev;il.nl it 'i^ WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 61 run. Nova Sc.tia f, fh,. Frairi,. Pn.vin.rs 'and n.port..,! fn.ni parts „f HrilisI, C.lunil.ia; s,.n..- tiiDcs KiviiiK trouhlc in fields. .A conrs.. fdl- sl..mtn<.d plant. avraKin^ :{ to .", f.-ct in height I he leaves are <.l.l„nK-lan<-..-shape,i marKine.l wi 1, spines and priekly ..n the niidril, l.em-ath only the lower ones more or l.ss pin.iatifi.l, stalk- It'ss. with ..ar-hk.. lohes at the l.ase. Tl... l..aves «'t the st..m are twisted at th- elasping |,as.. so as to stand vertically wit! thecdjre to the sun. instead of horizon- tally, as in the case of the leaves of most plants. This peculiarity has (liven rise to a i-oniinon name of this lettuce, the Compass I'lant. The flower hejids are pale yellow, less th;in half ;in ,. '""'' ••I'Toss. on a l.'irtje. wide- •.ristle, on :. H,i;;:s near [ii; all^i"'""""' "'•'' '"' ^•""^'"^- ='"•' '^''-•' -^i^" Krailicittiiiii. "f this Weed. ♦i> Clean :in.l se.-d w.aste places to grass follow...! I.y •l.>se .-uttinK Blue Lettuce {L,„t,„a i»,lrh,ll„ (I>„rsh ) DC ) is ■, ....tiv.. i . ■ ^;i:p;;-™;;;r:"^!;;;:-,:r-;;r;:"i:r'-^i:r \\hoh. plan. sn..M.th an.l ..ov.r.Mi with a fin.- I,h«.n., filh-.i «.th milky jui..... I.eav..s varia lin.-ar-sha or .'l,' lonu; without t.ffh or divisi..ns, s "!" ^"mi'titm's .l.ntate or pinnat- ih.l. tlw .livisi.ins .lin.te.l l.aek- ward; stem leaves less ilivi.h-.l W •""' -'•'"^'<"^''- 'I'Ik' Jlower h.'a.is Y ■'""'■ "''ally one inch across, pale M I'lu.', not very numerous, .m ^k s.aly f.Milsialks, in a narr.iw paii- n \ ;•■'"■ ''■'"• >^ i ix alxMit ; inch ^M 1 I<>"I2' iiicluiliiiK the sh.irt. thick ^B f '••■ak, the lip of whi.'h is whitish W .xpaii.led int.) a short, .-lip- „l,,,, ..„„,. , ,. , ,^''''l'<''''i-"'. n.l when immatiir... *' vntm^'tr'^onmr""" "' '"" •'"""• '"'"" > ••""'-'-"• "'- .- 62 WEEDS AND WEED SEEDB. Orange Hawkweed or Devil's Paint-brush (Hieracium auranliacum, L.), introduced from Europe, is abundant and troul)lesorae in the upland pastures of tlie Fkstorn Townsiiips of Quebec and in some places in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; reported occasionally from Ontario and all the eastern provinces. It is a vigorous Rrower which spreads rapidly by its runners and s«'eds and soon overruns land that cannot be ploughed, the abundant and useless foliage displacing grass and ruining m«'adows and pastures. Perennial, low-growing, throwing out many cree|)ing branches close to the ground. Filled with bitter milky sap. Whole plant very hairy. Flowering . -sterns 1 to 2 feet, erect and simple, almost leafless. The fiery orange reil of the How- ers is very striking. Leaves long, roimded at the top. grad- ually narrowing towanis the l)ase. of an inch long; purplish-black, unripe seed deep red; The seeds are spread by the wind anil are seldom ,V to The seeil is from strongly lO-ril)bed lengthwise. if ever found in crop seeds. AVn'/(C((^(»i. -Plough shallow aft«T hay crop, and summiT-fallow for balance of year. Avoid grass crop until comph'tely exterminated. Rocky pastures may be improved by sowing seed of mon- vigorous grasses as brome grass. King Devil duced from Eurf a ^*lii>rt V!il«. The timU I somelinn-* occur {IlicrnriiiiH itriKiilliini. (iochnat var. (Urii.icnx Koch. I, intro- )(•, is another Hawkweed which occurs in the eastern provinces anil is abundant in southwestern New Bruns- wick, where it is a |>est in pasture lands and olil meadows. It is a pernicious weed in pastures, bi'ing iMTcnnial. with the general characteristics i •. of the hiiwkweeds. It bears a few haves, nearly \( all at tli< base, anil numerous shnder leafy ^ braiichrs running on the surface of the ground. Till- whole plant is sp.irsely hairy and lightly I'overed with a Hue bloom. Masai Iraves narrow, till' long flower stalk bristly hairy, supporting a spri'ailing coryml« of yellow Howits. The si'cd is similar to that of the other varieties of hawk- "jf^^ weed, a lit t If smaller, black. ^' Mo«t of our hawkweeds are of relatively ri'ccnt introduction and m::uy varii'tics have not yet been rxactly locjited and dfscribed. riicir identity may occasionally prove dithrult, a- thiTf serin to be variation^ in the charaeters The method of eradie.-itioii i» tile -ame for .'dl and eonsists Citation, with needing down to elover .'iiid grifs at short inter- of the ditTerent varieties are praelieall.N iiidi«tinguisable. They in grass seed« and are a >hiiigi rou- impurity. WEEDS AND WEED SEEDS. 63 Ergot on Couch, Rye and Timothy (Clavicepn purpurea (Fr.) Tul ) There are often found among grains of rye, rarely among those of wheat, and abund- antly among the seeds of some grasses, bhickish or purplish solid bodies, commonly called ergot. Fre^h specimens are of a waxy or oily consistency, purplish white inside. They arc the storage organs or resting stage of a parasitic fungus belong- ing to the genus Claviceps. Krgot grains varv in size and form, according to the species of grain or other grasses on which they develop. Kach of these solid bodies is called a sderotium (plural sderotia), derived from a Creek word skleros, hard or '* "II which they were formed the iU m previous summer. In the spring small toad- ^ w stool-like bodi<'s, on vioh't stalks, with round orange-coloured heads, ai>o;it the size of mustard seed, are produced from the sch'rotia King on the ground. These develop en()rmous numbers of microscopicallv small spores (organs analogous to the .se<;(ls of higher plants), at th.- time when gra.s.scs and grains are in Hower. 1 he minute spores, carried by currents of air or bv insects, lodge in the flowers of the gra.s.ses an.l grow; in a short time th.n- complctelv destrov the .seed and form from them the horn-like sderotia. During the sum'mer spores are formed on these horns; at the .sam<- time appears a sugarv .secretion very attractive to insects, which carry off on tneir bodies many of the summer spores to the flower- ing hea( s of other grasses and thus spread the infecti name of ergot of rve. H-ead made from flour containing ergot may cause a disease known as ergotism; and animals which feed on gram or hav containing ergot mav also be severdy poisone.1. as is scmietimes the ca.se on our w.'stern plains. .\borti(m is one we'll known n-siilt of cows feeding on ergotized grain. Hav c.mtaining much ergot should not be fed. Krgofized grain should be thoroughlv screened and the .sder- otia destroye.i. .>il. \Vi>)>d KO'ds in c) Aiiiaranlli. Spri'adinR .(X AiiHTiian ilraKimliiail 5) Annuals . . " . '5 Artichoke. Wild 5- AuKUst lldwcr Jj(') Hurley, Weeil s<.ed» in seed ........ s Harley, Wild 3S Hiennials jj l.> Hhlik-ey( ;1 Su^.Mn 57 Klue l)ur !)- Hlue letture , . , . c"j Hlue weed .>- Hlue vervain .51 Hran. Weed r.eed> in H Huikwhiat, V ild •.,. Hur. Hlue .,■ Hurdi« k. (Diiiniiin ^ Hutlereu[> \f. <'aiiipi(in. Bladder Ijl C'ainpiiin>. 1^ < 'anada tlii?llipa» niani HI < ■()nvi>lviilu> "H ( 'line llnwiT -- Ccirn iiriiinuell ;,! <''iu' h Km-- .(.j ( iiwliane. Spi.tled '•,(( ( 'im eiiekle 'j,l C 'iiw ires- ^1 < rail irra — , Larue y, ni«y. H\H \e .,- I'.'indeliiin, ( iiiiiiniin ,"('1 lai! ,:; Kid -eedel ,(,, Darnel, t i.iiiiii.in 17 l)<'vdBra" (4 Divil - |iaihlliru-h iy Kiilril.ulii.n iif «iid-. im an- nl ':, liy iiiinriiiri 111] uniin |(| " fe-edina -tulT- I J " Kra— and 1 l.,>. 1 ..,,|, 1, " manure ]^^ " WTei'niMtf- Iff (mill need (11(1 ill- 14 DiM-k, hitter ilustercd eurlcd DiH'ks DiKlder, Clover DraKimhoad, Ameriian Krifot Kvening priniruae, ( nniinon , , " •• White l-ul«' llax. Flat-sii'ded Sinull-.'.eeded W'eNtern Kal-e phlox raitweed Fiild liinduiriii-M«'f4 ( '(iininnn .M Pale .54 Poverty ^^•i'^'<^ .16 Prairif roiM-s 4.5 Prairie sunllowir .57 Prickly lettuce^ 61 Pritiirow. < 'oininon cvcninjf 49 W liilc evening. 49 Purslane 44) • iuack uni.ss 33 Kadisli. Wild 21 KaKWii-fl. < 'oinnion •27 I'aU' .56 (ircai 26 IN'rennial 27 H.iKworl. ( oiriiiion W Kape. Hird 22 Kf'il-riMil piitwi-ed :w Kibicra.sn 26 H.M-k.t 42 HiH'kcl salad 42 Hows, Prairie 45 notation ot crops. ."^Iiort 7 Kouill) cin(|Uefoil 45 Russian knapwetnl .59 piiewei'd 37 ■• thistle 37 Scre*'nin»ts. Distriliution of weeds h\- 10 |jiint»'s ijuartcr^ seeds in 36 WiH-d s,-...ls in 10 Wild Imckwheat sieds in .16 SmIkc, Ko» 34 Si'dip-s 34 .SkiI crops. Haml w linn 14 S4ssl (train. Wis-d s)i'ds in . X .SMitlin(( to (trass 7 .s«.im1s. ( icnoiiiaiion of wi'cd 14 S41SIS. Reference collection of economic ami wi'.-d 1.5 S'.'d. WkmI siK^d' in alfalfa !t alsike !) " •* nsl cio\er H titiioth>' « .SIfhcal .52 Sheep S4irrel 3.5 shepherds purs.' 42 Shorts. Wts'.i s.-eds in II Si.la. Spiny 48 PAOI. SilvorwcHMl 4.1 Skunk-tail Kra.HH 33 Sleopv (Htrhfly 3» Smali tccntian 50 S<»il. w«'od Hooii.s in 12 Sorn'l, Shcop 35 Sow thistlt'. Annual 29 Common 29 KirM 29 Perennial.. 29 Prirklv . 29 " Spiny-I('av«Mi 29 Spiketl-rush. Ovoiil 34 Spiny siiia 48 Spotted rowlmnr. . 50 Spurge, Sun 47 Spurn'y . .39 SiiekfMinl 25 Slinking iiiayw«H'(i . 58 Stinkwei'ii 20 St. Johns-wort 48 Summer fallowing ft Sundower, Hlack-lieHtlfd 57 Many-Howi'nil prairie 57 Sun spurK<' 47 Swei'l ilovcn* 4fi Swti't grass . 32 Tansy mustard, (iray .43 .'«ili<-ation and eradieation of 5 Farm implements to c|e.H(niy 7 Werd siiils, rolleetion of eeonoinic ami 15 (termination of 14 in i-ommer<-ial grain 10 in farm lands 12 in f«'iM|ing f l« " imt*. I'al-u- Ml |M'it 47 • ra»li>h 21 tare 47 UimkI wliithm gra^" 41 W4»rm-se4'd mu-*tard 44 Varniw 58 VeOim foxtidl 31 " nut-gras^ 34 INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC NAMES. l"^ i •Jcjiypha virginii a Achillea milWolluni Acropfilon Pirri;' •Juropyron reppns Agnmlcmma Gith,i".i Aftrostia hyeniali:< AniaranlhuK blitoid. , grni'i'iz..ii. " rrlrcMiMi Airilirosia arlriiijsiif,,!, , puilDsla.tlV;! . ,' Irifirla Anthfiniw Cotula Aral>i« xlulira Arttiuin iriinu^' Avena falua Hrawiira arvcifin /•aniij^'ritri^ iunrra „ " nigra Bromu." M-ialinu- (■anii'lina (Ir'niaia iiii(n«iii|),i saliva ( apsi'lla Hunta-pa^ii.ri- < 'nn-x vulpinoiclt-a < 'erastiuin spp <"jienopi..lliii„ all>uiji < hrvMantl,..,„uiM I,, „, :u.il,.„,„„ <_iti» <'injta riuK-ula'ta < irsiiuiii arviniw- " lan<'<'<>|atuiii J laviicps purpuric V onrinitia orii>nlali« < 'onvoUuluK ar\cn>l- ,. " "I'piuiii < uwuta up * [yP'Taccai' •'ypnlu» Dbuium ( aniia ['«■• ;ria wnnuinali- Orao>,,.plialuiii imrMll,,,,,,,, r.rhiuiii vulitarr Kj«M liaris ovala c.llii Knii'a Niliva Kry»iriiuiii a«psl<-l« Trtraliii r>nMi ^ ' llipiiiiitn p'-rfiirar!!!!, 47 .M .5!» .l.i IS .■i4 .W 44 .■>« Ill •t; 22 .12 20 2(( 21( 42 •M .19 :)« 27 ■2S .50 2H :>» M '1? 24 ill 24 :I4 .14 2:t SO 41 :I4 .">l y, .Vi .M 42 44 44 44 47 .52 .'id .111 12 I:; (s ts is HyptTiiuiti puiLiarij.., Iva axillaris santhitoli ( Laciura pull li .||:i ."rariiil.i ■appula .■.Inn ,i,i [•'•""''"l.'M aut;iiiii,..,||- ■ ■•'piiliuiii ap..|i,li..„, [•'■pc.liuiii. .ami).. -I I,. I.lilaiia vulval i- l.illi.)..|>.riiiiiin !ir\, ii-i. I.1.I1UIII l.-iniil. •.iiiiii l-y.hni« allia Malva r.>iiin.llf.,'i , M.ili.-aK.i liii uliii:. M.'lil.iiu, all... '.' .itli. in:;li- .Ni'Slia pani.'iilal.'i '•"■nothiTa lii.'niii. imlli.l,., I ani.uiii .apillai.. rlantiiK.i irislal... '] lail.'...ilala Miaji.r Kii.i.lii I'.ilyitunuiii ( '.inv.ilvii'ii- lapalliif..|iiini „ ;• I'.r-i.a,,, I .inula, a ..l.ia.-.a ."■".•nlilla An-i-iina •irKUIa ',', liiiiMi.p<.|j,.|,.i. I runclla viilKaii« Hanun.ulu- .ilMirti\ u« .i.-ri- " -.■■■liian.. Kaplianus l{apli..,,,ivt,.|,,|, l{.>.-a pralin.-.ila Ua.lli...-kja liiria Uliini.x A. ...(.„. 11,1 ..inKl.'ni.'ialij. '■ri>pu^ .ilitusif.ilju. Nilwila Kali "*ap.inari.| \ a.-, ana ■^■ii.'. i.i .la.-.iliai'a ■*<'laria ulau.a \ iridis ^ilini' aniirrlilna lalif.iiia •"isymliriuiii alii«. ,, uin in.'i^ijjii .ifli.'Uai. xili.laKi. .ana.lin-i. ltraliiinif(il|., ruKD-:, sctdilr,., •Niri.lm« arv..n«i. a»pi. ";ia. Ii>« ixiUi^iri- ''lillaria in.- ha rar.na.aiM iT» llir.i.p,., ,, ,.,,,, " .ifli.iriil, I lilai-pi arAchTM. V .'rlM-iia li, ^taf... \ i. la aMirM ■il :tl .til IJ. 2o 4;i 4:1 .V) 2W 2« 20 :«! • hi ■■(11 IK) Ul 2«. ."ll 47 v. In i