Everybody is well acquainted with the dandelion, but not everybody knows that it was brought to this country from Europe. It is not probable that a dandelion seed could come on the wings of the wind three thousand miles across the ocean, nor is it probable that people would bring it on purpose. [Illustration] Very likely dandelion seeds were accidentally mixed in with the grass and clover seeds the settlers brought from their homes in the Old World. Before the coming of the white man the Indian did not see the roadsides yellow with dandelions, nor did he see dandelions at all, excepting a kind that grows sparingly way up north and another that grows in the Rocky Mountains. The European dandelions liked the New World and when they had the chance spread very fast, so that now they are everywhere—at least in the East. The reason they were able to spread so is that the dandelion seeds were able to fly. If they had not flown away but had dropped down close to the parent plant and grown there, they would not have been allowed to spread much; for people do not like dandelions in their fields and lawns, and try hard to root them out. This would be easy if the dandelions kept together in patches. But they seem to say “catch me if you can” as they fly on the wings of the wind, dropping down here, there, and everywhere, striking root and merrily growing. [Illustration: White-headed dandelions.] The parent dandelion takes very good care of its seed children, and plans for their future success by giving each one a little plume by which it can be blown about by the wind. Everybody knows the pretty, fluffy, white-headed dandelions that come after the yellow flowers. [Illustration: Seed case and plume magnified.] Children often blow on them “to see what time it is.” If all the seeds fly away but one, they say it is one o’clock; if two remain, they say it is two o’clock, and so on. They also blow on them to see if “mother wants me,” as every child knows. Each little silky part that flies away is a seed case and its plume. If you look carefully at the part of the dandelion that flies about, you will see the little brown seed case at one end, shaped something like a tiny cucumber, and with little teeth near its top. Out of its top grows a silky white stalk, and at the end of this is a tuft of soft little hairs by means of which the seed case can float in the air. Each dandelion seed case contains one little seed, but the case fits the seed so closely that most people speak of the whole thing—seed case and seed together—as the seed. The proper name for such a seed case and its seed is akene.[A] Not all akenes have plumes. [A] ȧ-kēn´ The top of the dandelion stem is a flat cushion, and the little akenes, when the seeds are ripe, stand on it, pointing out in different directions so there may be room for every one with its spread-out plume. [Illustration: The flat cushion with a few seeds attached.]