Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-01-06
Agricultural.
Weeds in Maine.

as worthless aud injurious. Were an enun-
Grafton made of these by the farmers, each
for himself, 1t would incite TO individual
and concerted action To arrest their en-
But few of these trespassers
are indigenous. having been imported from
foreign countries. This is especially true.
OF the more troublesome and obnoxious
ones.
Almost every year some new weed Is in
troduced. which secures strong foot-hoid
before its pernicious character ], detected,
the longer IL remains undis-
turbed the more difficult becomes the work
of eradication. In this way most of the
weeds. which infest, have come into quiet
possession. SO widely. and firmly. that
their exterpatioE and ultimate destruction,
have well nigh become an impossibilily.
Weeds are introduced In 4 variety ofways.
The seeds of some are brought by migratory
birds; very many are impo ted in grains
and garden seeds not a few are sent out by
the Patent Office and members of Congress
in packages OF seeds-we add, by way of
parcnthesis. that many vegctable-eating
insects are distributed in the same way.
The first pea-weevil We had ever seen, came
from Washington. in package Of peas,
having an unpronounceable Dutch name.
By far. the larger number of weed-seed>
'us dealers in grass and garden seeds.
who regard it as honest TO a,'ultcrate II
is perfectly legitimate trick In trade"
indicative oftheir enterprise and cunning
Some OF the worst weeds we have. have
escaped from the gardens. where they were
cultivated as flowers. or for medicinal or
culinary purposes.
To most of the common weeds various
lpral names have become attached. until in
different neighborhoods they cannot be
lentified by the name. 4 most marked in
stance ofthis occurrence In the Discus
sion on Weeds" in the board of agriculture
Isl winter. Let us recount 4 few. in which
the correct name will be given. together
with the scientific name. and the mi>nom-
e. or synonyms.
CHARLocK -Brassicd .SinopiS'rwia.
SYNoNYM-Field Mustard.
We know Of no weed in the erain-grow-
ing districts that is SO difficult To EXTERN
iEate as this. Canada thi>ile> daisies and
dock can be eradicated with facility. in
cpmparison. The seeds will remain in the
ground lifetime without losing their VI
tally. We have cultivated a Held sixteen
successive seasons. allowing no charlock
- 90 10 seed; but deep blowing brought
seed to the surface the seventeenth year.
so that the ground was nearly covered with
the young plants. Incessant vigilance from
year TO year will exterminate it effectually."
Ox-EYE DAsY.-Lcucanthemum ruigare.
SYNoNYM.-White-we ed-Disk-fower
This almost omnipresent weed was quite
rare thirty years ago. 1.-The seeds are very
tenacious of life. and will terminate after
p lssing through the stomach OF an animal
The number ofseeds which single root
OF he ox-eye produces is immense. In one
he nj over four hundred seeds have actual
ly been counted. There are from fifty 10
( .ur or five hundred heads from one root
Estimating the number of seeds in head
10 be two hundred. and the number OF heads
I a plant to be seyenty-fve. we have M
teen housGnd seeds a the product OF sin
gle root.
CISQCEFoIL-- Potentiue Canadensis
SYNONYM e-Finger-Devirs-gut
A worthless native plant. common In dry
gravelly fields and pastures. Its prevalence
in grass lands is indicative of poor soil and
neglected agriculture. Some land when
kept as pasture fields seem to have an al
IN 'st incurable tendency TO lose the valua-
b e grasses, and to become speedily overrun
wi h Cinquefoil. Lime and manure. how
ever, will work wonders In the worst of
soils"
RUTLAND BEAUrY.-C hystegia sepium.
SYSoSYMs.-Hedge-B MISUNDERSTANDING
Glory.
rank iwining plant. often introduced
into yards aud gardens for its beauty: but
soon it becomes a most detestable weed.
quite as troublesome, and as difficult 10
eradicate as teitch grIss or couch grass.
1t is a native OF this State.
SoRREL--Rgmex Ac4toselrd.
despicable little foreigner. which NAV
almost be classed with CqnadI histles or
e.tch grass for troublesomeness, and is quite
as difficult TO eradicate
FRANK SCRfBNER says-There is no great
er fallacy than that which teaches that where
sorrel Is abundant the land is sour and needs
an alkali TO neutralize the acid Because
the leaves of the sorFel are sour, we are not
to suppose that the soil upon which it grew
l. sour also, any more than to believe that
the soil upon which crab-apples are grown
must be sour. SOrrel win grow upon q
Imey soil as well as upon any other. The
only effect which the application of lime
has to eradicate sorrel is in its promoting
the growth Of other plants which tend to
choke f oct. The prevalence of this plant
Is strong indication Of light or impov-
erished soil, and its extirpation can only
be effected BY high Guilty. alton or rotation
Of crops.
-Radbeckta Aivta.
SYNoNYMs-''Nigger Heade-Yellow-
weed-Ohio Daisy-Yellow white weed.
Not many years ago this plant was almost
unknown in this State, but within few
years it has become very abundant in our
grass lands. 1t is q more villainous plant
than the white-weed, for the more the
ground is cultivated the more abundant it
viii be- This plant was introduced in grass
seed from the West. 49,
We first saw 1t in this county in 1854.
Nothing viii eat II. either green or dry. 1t
. homeopathic weed. and its introduc-
f1171 D|Gnr|f H0o1r1 lG1laaf