The plumes do not open out until the seed is ready to be blown away, and the akenes do not stand pointing out in all directions until the time to fly has come. Before that they are all packed closely together. [Illustration: Before the plume opens out.] Because the little akene is so light and feathery the breeze bears it along, sometimes for quite a distance, but at last it drops down to the earth or else is blown among the grasses or weeds or stones and lodges there, and when the right time comes the seed that is in the little brown seed case sprouts. Sometimes the air seems to be full of dandelion akenes floating about. Although the dandelion is so bright and pretty, people do not like it in their lawns. [Illustration: All closely packed together.] Excepting when in bloom or when it is “white-headed,” it is not as pretty as grass. It does not make a beautiful velvety carpet to the earth, but its leaves look ragged and uneven and spoil the appearance of the lawn. It is from its leaves that the dandelion gets its name, for “dandelion” means “tooth of a lion”; and if you look at a well-grown dandelion leaf you will understand why it came to have such a fierce name. Dandelions are very fond of growing in lawns. They like to be taken care of, and they seem to like to have their heads cut off. [Illustration: A well-grown dandelion leaf.] Anyway the lawn mower does not trouble them in the least. Their leaves grow close to the ground, in the shape of a rosette, and when the lawn mower passes over, only the large outer leaves are harmed; the young ones towards the center of the rosette remain unhurt and have more light and air and space to grow in; so our dandelion flourishes in spite of its pruning. When a dandelion once gets its roots started it does not make so very much difference if it has its flowers cut off, for it does not die when winter comes. Only its leaves die. Its root continues alive in the earth, and in the spring wakes up and puts out new leaves. So cutting off the flowers does not destroy the dandelion, it merely prevents seeds from forming, and more dandelions from starting. Dandelion roots kill the grass by pushing it aside and taking the earth-food for themselves. [Illustration] So if dandelions get started in a lawn they will soon kill out the grass, and then there will be a dandelion lawn instead of a grass lawn! A dandelion lawn is very beautiful for a little while in the early summer. Sometimes it looks like a carpet of gold, the yellow flowers are so thick and fine. But when they are done blossoming the lawn is a sorry looking sight. Dandelions do not trouble the hay fields, for where the grass is allowed to grow tall it soon smothers them.