BURDOCK. 



m 



BURDOCK {Arctium Lappa and Bardand). — IMPORTUNITY. 



The Burdock is well known by all boys, to whom it is an 

 inoffensive source of fun. They gather the seed-vessels, and 

 throw them at their companions. The bristly hairs which 

 cover the seed-vessels cling tenaciously to the dress, and 

 require a little patience in detaching them. Thus the Bur- 

 dock is a fitting emblem of that Importunity with which 

 we are sometimes assailed by applicants, who seem deter- 

 mined not to take a refusal. It may also well be regarded 

 as such from its pertinacious resistance of attempts to 

 extirpate its roots even from good soil. 



The generic name ''Arctium" is given to this plant because 

 of the brown hairy covering which resembles the shaggy 

 skin of the bear. The hardened hooks at the end of the 

 hairs hold so firmly to the coats of cattle, that as they 

 separate, the seed-vessels are forced open, when the contents 

 escape, and sow themselves ! The plant has many useful 

 properties. 



BUTTERCUPS.— Cheerfulness. 



Except the daisy, there is not a greater favourite than 

 the Buttercup. Children of all ranks delight in it, and poets, 

 calling to mind their early field pleasures, have not failed 

 to speak of this wild flower, and have thus made a permanent 

 record of the cheerfulness with which Buttercups inspired 

 them. Campbell says, — 



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