302 Junior Naturalist Monthly. 



What if we searched in vain for Jack-in-the-pulpit, Dutchman's 

 breeches, painted trilHum, yellow violets, or sweet briar roses? 



Yet, unless something is done to protect the wild flowers, I fear that 

 one by one they may leave us, or at least become scarce in their 

 accustomed places. Thoughtless persons gather all they can find 

 and carelessly uproot many. We always suggest to Junior Natural- 

 ists lessons on common and abundant plants, both because they 

 should mean more to you and because there is no danger that they 

 will be entirely destroyed. 



We want Junior Naturalists to think on this question and write 

 us about it. Next February, we shall publish two letters, one WTitten 

 by a girl the other by a boy, giving the best suggestions for protecting 

 the wild flowers. Uncle John hopes that a good many young people 

 will help him in this matter. 



LESSON VI.— CANADA THISTLES AND OTHER SEEDS. 



We hear many farmers complain of the Canada thistle. Can you 

 tell why? If you study it this fall you may learn new things about it. 

 Perhaps some good-sized boy will be brave enough to get a large 

 thistle plant for one of the Club meetings. He will need to be some- 

 thing of a Spartan, but I believe many of our boys will have the 

 courage to do it. I would suggest in your study of the plant that 

 you consider the following: 



L The kind of root. 



2. The number of blossoms. 



3. The number of seeds in a blossom-head. 



4. Multiply the number of seeds in one of the blossom-heads of any 

 kind of thistle by the number of heads on the plant. If one-tenth 

 of the seeds of such a plant should produce plants next year, do you 

 think the farmer living near it would be pleased? 



5. How many good and plump seeds do you find in each head of 

 Canada thistle? Be very careful about this observation. 



6. How are the seeds of thistles fitted for traveling? 



7. Does the Canada thistle have any other way of traveling except 

 by seeds? Be careful in answering this. 



8. Can you suggest any way by which we can get rid of the Canada 

 thistle? 



Note: — ^Uncle John would like to know the name of the boy who brings the 

 thistle plant to school. 



