NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Besides the useful plants introduced for field
and garden culture, mankind have been unwilling agents in distributing a greater number
which are classed as noxious weeds. They follow his migrations with never failing certainty,
and sooner or later find their way into every
nook and corner which is not carefully watched
and cultivated. Prompted by a worthy ambition
to raise large crops and pretty flowers, and to
possess the best of everything, hundreds of men
have tried Norway oats, Alsike clover, new varieties of wheat, barley, turnips and various grasses.

They have imported from the Middle and Eastern States, Canada, and even Europe, Africa
and far off Asia and Australia. After a year or
so, the farmer too often finds that he got more
than he bargained for. The thrift which he
looked for in his new plant, seems to have departed like an evil spirit into the weeds and
caused them to grow, and spread and increase
with astonishing rapidity. There is trouble
ahead-"foul stuff," "bad weeds" have come to
contest the soil of the virgin prairie, with corn
and clover. These unwelcome visitors will crowd
hard, and most likely conquer, and at last find a
permanent abode. A few men look at the intruders with suspicion, and destroy them all,
perhaps send one to some botanist, to learn what
to call it, but most likely they are allowed to
grow for a while. If the people only knew the
nature of their vicious enemy, they would begin the war of extermination at once.

Of weeds which may be called troublesome, we
raise, perhaps, eighty species, while twenty
others are very. annoying. If men had good
specimens of these with which to compare, in
nine cases out of ten they could easily decide the
question for themselves.

Professor W. J. Beal, of this city, has called
our attention to a plan which we think a good
one. That is, to prepare sets of twenty to one
hundred species and sell to any who may wish
them, whether gardeners, enterprising farmers,
schools, farmer's clubs, or agricultural societies.
The plants, if possible, will be collected in the
Northwest, where they often appear quite different from those growing in the shallow soil of New
England. He offers to furnish, if the number
of subscribers equals one hundred, sets of ninety
species for the very low price of five dollars, each
specimen accompanied with a number which
corresponds to a numbered catalogue. The catalogue will contain the common and scientific
names of each number, and a few words about
the habits, origin, easiest mode of destroying,
&c. He will if desired make up more extensive
collections of grasses, sedges, or any forage plants
common in the United States. Those who are
willing to subscribe for "a set" or a less number, will please send names at once, that no time
may be lost in collecting this season.
Address W. J. Beal, No. 3 Scammon Place,
Chicago, Ill.
For the general good we shall be glad to see
our exchanges copy this notice.