in the centre of each. These weigh fifteen times as much as, 

 and have one-eighth the bouyancy of the fireweed seeds. 



In the lower right hand corner are two heads of Troximon, 

 an artistic ally of the dandelion. At the bottom are three globes 

 of the dandelion itself, and above them the half-dozen small 

 heads are those of the golden aster. These three plants belong 

 to the Thistle family and serve to illustrate the fruiting method 

 of many of their kindred. As the dandelion, especially, is so well- 

 known it is unnecessary to describe this method in detail. Every 

 child has played with dandelion " clocks" and watched the seeds 

 sail away before his vigorous puffs. The dandelion seeds are 

 quite light about four hundred of them weigh one grain 

 and yet in a quiet room their buoyancy is only about one-tenth 

 that of the fireweed seeds. 



This comparison suggests that other factors play a part in 

 the successful spread of a species. From a close, hard fight the 

 fireweed flies far away to seek easier conditions elsewhere, but the 

 dandelion stays and fights it out, successfully competing with 

 even blue-grass sod, and dodging serious lawn-mower injury by 

 spreading its leaves flat and bearing its flowers on very short 

 stems. Then, just when the seeds are ripe,, the stems shoot up 

 and lift the seed-heads well above the grass. The dandelion 

 seed may not travel so far as that of the fireweed, but it will 

 germinate and thrive where the latter would perish. 



Here we must leave this interesting subject. The reader, 

 however, may by observation and simple experiment easily 

 continue its investigation. 



130 



