The Botanist's Companion Part 37

663. YEW. Taxus baccata.--This is poisonous to cattle: farmers and other persons should be careful of this being thrown where sheep or cattle feed in snowy weather. It is particularly dangerous to deer, for they will eat of it with avidity when it comes in their way.

SECTION XV.--PLANTS NOXIOUS IN AGRICULTURE.

Annual Weeds, or such as grow wild in Fields, and that do not produce any Food for Cattle.

Many weeds are troublesome to the farmer amongst his crops; but which, by affording a little fodder at some season or other, in some degree compensate for their intrusion. But as the following are not of this description, they ought at all times to be extirpated: for it should be recollected, that the s.p.a.ce occupied by such a plant would, in many instances, afford room for many ears of wheat, &c.

The following are annuals, and chiefly grow among arable crops, as corn, &c. As these every year spring up from seeds, it is a very difficult matter for the farmer to prevent their increase, especially since the practice of fallowing land has become almost obsolete. It is a fact worthy notice, that the seeds of most of the annual weeds will lie in the ground for many years, if they happen to be place deep: so that all land is more or less impregnated with them, and a fresh supply is produced every time the land is ploughed. It is therefore proper that annual weeds of every description should be prevented as much as possible can be from going to seed, for one year's crop will take several seasons to eradicate. The only effectual mode we are acquainted with of getting rid of annual weeds is, either by hoeing them up when young, or by cutting the plants over with any instrument whilst in bloom; for it should be observed, that those never spring from the roots if cut over at that period of their growth, which oftentimes may be easily accomplished.

I once observed a crop of burnet, in which Bromus secalius (Lob Gra.s.s) was growing, whose spike stood a considerable height above the crop, and several acres of which a boy or woman might have cut over in a short s.p.a.ce of time: but it was not so: the gra.s.s seeds and burnet were suffered to ripen together, and no means could be devised to separate the two when threshed. For this reason the burnet seeds never could find a market, and consequently the trouble of saving it, as well as the crop, was lost to the grower. I mention this as an instance of many that frequently occur. How many times do we see with crops of winter tares wild oats seeding in them? or Carduus mutans standing so high above those crops that they might be thus extirpated with great ease?

It may be observed, that it is in culture of this nature where annual seeds multiply. A regular crop of wheat will, by its thickness on the ground, r.e.t.a.r.d their growth by smothering them; but the other gives them every facility, and particularly autumnal-sown crops.

664. Blue-bottle - - - Centaurea Cya.n.u.s.

665. White-blite - - - Chenopodium alb.u.m.

666. Charlock - - - Sinapis arvensis.

667. Chickweed - - - Alsine media.

668. c.o.c.kle - - - Agrostemma Githago.

669. Cleavers - - - Galium Aparine.

670. Corn Marigold - - - Chrysanthemum segetum.

671. Corn Crowfoot - - - Ranunculus arvensis.

672. Corn Chamomile - - - Matricaria Chamomilla.

673. Weak-scented do - - ---------- inodora.

674. Gra.s.s, Lob - - - Bromus secalinus.

675. ----- Bearded Oat - - Acena fatua.

676. ----- Field Foxtail - Alopecurus agrestis.

677. ----- Darnel - - - Lolium temulentum.

678. Groundsel, common - - Senecio vulgaris.

679. Wall Barley - - - Hordeum murinum.

680. Mallow, common - - - Malva sylvestris.

681. Mayweed, stinking - - Anthemis Cotula.

682. Melilot - - - Trifolium officinale.

683. Mustard, white - - - Sinapis alba.

684. -------, hedge - - - Erysimum Barbarea.

685. Nettle, Stinging, small - Urtica urens.

686. ------, Dead - - - Lamium albium.

687. Nipplewort - - - Lapsana communis.

688. Orach, wild - - - Atriplex hastata.

689. -----, spreading - - -------- patulata.

690. Pilewort - - - Ranunculus ficaria.

691. Persicaria, spotted-leaved Polygonum Ficaria.

692. ----------, pale-flowered --------- pensylvanic.u.m.

693. ----------, climbing - --------- Convolvulus.

694. Pheasant-eye - - - Adonis autumnalis.

695. Poppy, common red - - Papaver Rhoeas.

696. Poppy, long rough-headed - Papaver Argemone.

697. Radish, wild - - - Rapha.n.u.s Raphanistrum.

698. Shepherd's Needle - - Scandix Pecten Veneris.

699. Spearwort - - - Ranunculus Flammula.

700. Spurry, Corn - - - Spergula arvensis.

701. Thistle, Spear - - - Carduus lanceolatus.

702. ------- Star - - - Centaurea Calcitrapa.

703. ------- Marsh - - - Carduus pal.u.s.tris.

704. ------- Dwarf - - - ------- acaulis.

705. Tine Tare, smooth-podded - Ervum tetraspermum.

Creeping-rooted Weeds.

The following are such as are perennial, and are of the most troublesome nature, being xtremely difficult to get rid of in consequence of their creeping roots. It unfortunately appens that, where the land is the most worked, and the roots the more broken thereby, the more the crop of weeds increases on the land. Therefore, the only effectual mode of extirpating plants of this nature, is by picking out the roots after the plough, or by digging them up at every opportunity by some proper instrument.

Where weeds of this nature occur, there is too often thought to be more labour than profit in their extirpation. And although this is an argument of some propriety, where a farmer is tenant at will, or where his strength is not proportionate to the land: yet if land is worth any thing at all, that, whatever it may be, is lost, if it is suffered thus to become barren. And as prevention is in most cases considered preferable to cure, more care ought to be taken than generally is, of all our hedges and waste pieces of land by road sides, &c. Many of these plants are found growing in such places, and their seeds are of that nature that they are calculated to fly to considerable distances,--a contrivance in nature to fertilize the ground in her own way; but which, as agriculturists, it is the business of men to check.

706. Bindweed, small - - Convolvulus arvensis.

707. Bindweed, large - - ----------- sepium.

708. Bistort - - - Polygonum bistorta.

709. Brakes - - - Pteris aquilina.

710. Clown's Woundwort - - Stachys pal.u.s.tris.

711. Cammock - - - Ononis arvensis.

712. Coltsfoot - - - Tussilago Farfara.

713. Crowfoot, creeping - - Ranunculus repens.

714. Goutweed - - - Aegopodium Podagraria.

715. Gra.s.s, Garden Couch - Tritic.u.m repens.

716. -----, Couchy-bent - Agrostis stolonifera.

717. -----, Couch Oat, or Knot Avena elatior.

718. -----, Creeping-soft - Holcus mollis.

719. Horsetail, Corn - - Equisetum arvense.

720. Persicaria, willow-leaved Polygonum amphibium.

721. Rest Harrow - - - Ononis spinosa.

722. Sow-Thistle, Corn - - Sonchus arvensis.

723. Spatling Poppy - - Cucubalus Behen.

724. Stinging-Nettle, large - Urtica dioica.