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It forms a dense mat, exterminating other plants, and preventing
cultivation. It can, however, be itself exterminated by sowing the
ground with red clover, which will also vanquish the Polygonum
aviculare. The most noxious weed in New Zealand appears, however, to be
the Hypochaeris radicata, a coarse yellow-flowered composite not
uncommon in our meadows and waste places. This has been introduced with
grass seeds from England, and is very destructive. It is stated that
excellent pasture was in three years destroyed by this weed, which
absolutely displaced every other plant on the ground. It grows in every
kind of soil, and is said even to drive out the white clover, which is
usually so powerful in taking possession of the soil.
In Australia another composite plant, called there the Cape-weed
(Cryptostemma calendulaceum), did much damage, and was noticed by Baron
Von Hugel in 1833 as "an unexterminable weed"; but, after forty years'
occupation, it was found to give way to the dense herbage formed by
lucerne and choice grasses.
In Ceylon we are told by Mr.


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