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houses at Christmas time, is another plant with prickly 
leaves. 
Some plants cover their leaves with bristles, which 
the cattle dread almost as much as the stout prickles. 
- As we read before, the mullein defends its leaves by 
a fuzzy coat of hair. Such an armor as this is less 
warlike than that of the thistle, but quite as effective. 
Other plants fill their leaves with juices which are 
either poisonous or unpleasant. 
It seems as if animals guessed the presence of these 
unfriendly juices by the plant’s smell, for they will 
_munch the different growing things all about such a 
plant as this, and leave the harmful leaves severely 
alone. 
The nettles cover their leaves with stinging hairs. 
These stiff hairs break off when handled, burying them- 
selves in the flesh, and sending out a burning acid that 
punishes severely the meddler, man or beast, as it may 
happen to be. 
By this time I think you realize that leaves are well 
worth noticing. And when you have looked at a leaf 
so fully as to be able to carry in your mind its outline, 
I hope you will then discover whether it wears a coat of 
hair, or a dusty bloom, or a prickly armor, or a thick, 
evergreen skin, and that you will decide what enemies 
it is trying to escape. 
