SummaryEstimates of viable weed seeds in soil samples taken in 1968–1975 from 89 vegetable fields in England gave a median value of 4120 m−2in 0–15 cm.Poa annua, Stellaria mediaandMatricaria matricarioidesoccurred most frequently, and nine species accounted for 72% of all seeds found. The numbers of seeds were lower than those from a survey made a decade earlier but the species occurring most frequently were the same;M. matricarioides, however, appeared to have increased in relative impor