“Some of the wild things are most helpful to human beings; such as mint, and dock, and dear old dandelions, and other ‘weeds’ which may be eaten. From ‘weeds’ also come some of the most wonderful of[J] medicines. Perhaps you have tested the medicinal effects of mustard, catnip, and boneset.” “I tried catnip on our Jubey,” said Mary Frances. “It did her lots of good.” “I’ve had mustard plasters, and mustard baths, and boneset tea when I’ve been ill with chills,” Eleanor added. “Just so! just so!” nodded Jack-in-the-Pulpit; “so you see, many ‘weeds’ are not useless plants, but are very valuable. The Indians knew that.” “My, I hadn’t any idea weeds were valuable,” said Eleanor. “I always knew about mint and catnip,” Mary Frances replied, “but I didn’t know other weeds were of so much help.” “Of course there are many weeds which seem of no value at all. They steal the food of valuable plants and choke them out.” Jack went on. “For instance, there’s corn cockle, the seeds of which are poisonous. It loves to grow among the corn and wheat, and troubles the farmers terribly.” “I think the flowers are quite pretty,” Mary Frances ventured to say. “Oh, you know them when you see them?” asked Jack. “That’s good, because we can go on with our story faster if you know some of the wild flowers. You would like to gather some out of our fairy garden, wouldn’t you? Well, you may take some of all that are in bloom at this time of year, after we finish telling you what we so much want you to learn about our dear flowers.” “Now, it is Bet’s turn,” he went on, turning toward the dainty little fairy, who began to bounce happily up and down on the branch of the tree. The girls were delighted with her dancing. At length she stopped and began to talk in her musical voice. “I am going to talk a little about the flowers,” she said, “and shall mention only the ones known by most people, because we have such a short time for your lesson. I shall just mention them, and if you do not know them, please interrupt me, and Jack and I will take you through the garden to show them to you. Do you know the— {This charming gold and white, wheel-shaped {flower, which is a troublesome weed to the Daisy (Other names: {farmer, blooms everywhere afield from May to Ox-Eyed Daisy, {November, from Canada to the southern States, and White Weed) {to the Mississippi River. It is perhaps the best {known wild flower in the Eastern United States.