There is nothing much prettier in the plant world than this head of fairy dandelion akenes all ready to fly away. They stand and shine until a breeze comes along that is strong enough to dislodge them, then all in a moment they are off sailing through the air. The parent plant is not sorry to have them go, for this is what it has worked so hard to accomplish; and as they float away, if it thinks at all, it no doubt hopes that each little shining wanderer will alight at last in a beautiful home of its own with plenty of space and sunlight and food for its growth. If there is not breeze enough to carry away the dandelion akenes, when night approaches or a storm gathers the careful parent plant does not allow these silky treasures to become soaked and spoiled by moisture. Each little plume shuts up again! The silky tufts no longer spread out, and the green bracts, too, turn up and cover them safely as before. They go to sleep, hoping, no doubt, for better luck next day. There is no better fun than to watch the dandelions do these things. When children blow the heads of dandelions away, that is just what the dandelions want, for it sets all the akenes flying about in the air above the earth. The main thing for a dandelion seed is to get started. If it can get up in the air free from the weeds and grasses, it will be sure to take quite a journey and will doubtless settle in a new home. The bitter milky juice of the dandelion very likely protects it from being eaten by various plant-eating creatures. This juice is familiar to country children who pick the long stems of the dandelions, split them, and “curl” the parts in their mouths. These pretty stems make very long and fine curls, as every little country girl knows. [Illustration] THISTLES. [Illustration] Nobody can help liking thistles—that is, to look at. We do not care to handle them, nor do they care to have us, which perhaps is why they are covered all over with such sharp prickles. The prickles are an intimation to us to let them alone. They do not want to be handled, and they do not want to be eaten. When a plant arms itself with thorns or prickles, that is its way of saying “hands off.” Few creatures besides donkeys eat thistles. It is said that donkeys are fond of them, and some horses will nibble at them, but on the whole the thistles are let alone, excepting by the farmer, who digs them up. Thistles are much more troublesome than dandelions, for they get into the hay and grain, and if let alone some kinds will kill out all other plants and occupy the land themselves. There are many kinds of thistles. Our large native ones that bear beautiful showy purple, or pink, or white heads are not, as a rule, very troublesome to the farmer. [Illustration: Canada thistle.]