To the little plant baby which you love and wish to grow, weeds are like terribly hungry beasts who steal their food, and choke them to death, and say: “Get out of here! I’m a piggy-wig, and I want everything myself!” So unless you want your favorite plants to die, you will kill the weeds in your garden. Even if some of your plants do live through the fight, they are weak and poor from the lack of food, and the hard work they have been through. Someone has said that weeds are plants that are not wanted, and people often find that the less they are wanted, the harder it is to get rid of them. You see, most weeds have grown in spite of everything, and have accommodated themselves to such unpleasant surroundings that when they find themselves in splendid surroundings, as in your garden soil, they begin to grow ‘with a vengeance.’” “I know!” Mary Frances laughed. “Well, we fairy folk want to help you as much as possible with your garden. I am going to tell you about— SOME WAYS TO RID OF WEEDS Of course, one of the best ways is to pull the weeds, never allowing them to go to seed. That’s best for annual kinds. But the perennial kind must have the roots destroyed, so deep digging or ploughing in the Fall is a great help. Cleaning off the growth and burning it in the Fall kills many seeds which might “winter over,” and come up in the Spring. Salt is often used to kill grass in paths and garden walks. Some of the commonest weeds found in the garden are— _Lamb’s-quarters_, or _Pigweed_, which is usually very unwelcome in the garden, but which some people use for “greens.” _Roman Wormwood_, or _Hogweed_, which, from its name, you can see is troublesome everywhere. [Illustration: ROMAN WORMWOOD] _Beggar-ticks_, or _Stick tights_. I guess you know them— Their seed babies, I mean. Didn’t you get them all over your dresses and stockings one day in the woods? [Illustration: BEGGAR-TICKS] _Smartweed_ and _Knotweed_ and _Lady’s Thumb_ all resemble each other in appearance. _Plantain_ and _Rat Tails_ (Rib Grass, English Plantain) are cousins in the same family. _Pepper Grass_ and _Shepherd’s Purse_ are cousins, too, and both belong to the Mustard family. You’ve often eaten pepper grass seeds, haven’t you? _Field Laurel_, or _Sour Grass_, has leaves with a pleasantly sour flavor. “Excuse me,” said Mary Frances, as Jack paused, “but you didn’t mention that if you ‘cultivate’ your garden, it will kill weeds.” “I’m so glad you said that!” Jack replied. “It is the best way to keep weeds out of your garden; but I was speaking of where they had ‘gotten a start.’”