DYER'S-WEED, YELLOW-WEED, Weld, or Wild-weed: A genus of the order of trigynia, belonging to the dodecaandra clasps of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 54th order, Miscellaneous. The calyx is monophyllous and partite; the petals lanceolate; the capsule unilocular, and opening at the mouth. There are 11 species; of which the most remarkable is the luteola or common dyer's weed, growing naturally in waste places in many parts of Britain. The young leaves are often undulated; the stalk is a yard high, or more, terminated with a long naked spike of yellowish-green flowers: the plant is cultivated and much used for dying silk and wool of a yellow colour. The great recommendation of the plant is, that it will grow with very little trouble, without dung, and on the very worst soils. For this reason it is commonly sown with, or immediately after, barley or oats, without any additional care, except drawing a bush over it to harrow it in. The reaping of the corn does it little or no hurt, as it grows but little the first year; and the next summer it is pulled and dried like flax. Much care and nicety, however, is requisite, so as not to injure either the seed or stalk; or, which sometimes happens, damaging both, by letting it stand too long, or pulling it too green. To avoid these inconveniences, a better method of culture has been devised. This new method is to plough and harrow the ground very fine, without dung, as equally as possible, and then sowing about a gallon of seed, which is very small, upon an acre, some time in the month of August. In about two months it will be high enough to hoe, which must be carefully done, and the plants left about six inches asunder. In March it is to be hoed again, and this labour is to be repeated a third time in May. About the close of June, when the flower is in full vigour, and the stalk is become of a greenish-yellow, it should be pulled; a sufficient quantity of stems being left growing for seed till September. By this means the flower and stalk, both of them being carefully dried, will sell at a good price to the dyers, who employ it constantly, and in large quantities; add to this, that the seed being ripe and in perfect order, will yield a very considerable profit. In a tolerable year, when the seasons have not been unfavourable, the advantages derived from this vegetable will answer very well; but if the summer should be remarkably fine, and proper care is taken in getting it in, there will be a very large produce upon an acre. The crop being, as has been shown, so early removed, the ground may be conveniently prepared for growing wheat the next year. Upon the whole, weld is in its nature a very valuable commodity in many respects, as it serves equally for woollen, linen, or silk; dyeing not only a rich and lasting yellow, but also, properly managed, all the different shades of yellow with brightness and beauty; and if these be previously dipped blue, they are by the weld changed into a very pleasing green, which our artists can also diversify into a great variety of shades.