234 A BUNCH OF HERBS. 



comes its second, and finer and more spiritual inflo- 

 rescence, when its stalk, dropping its more earthly 

 and carnal flower, shoots upward, and is presently 

 crowned by a globe of the most delicate and aerial 

 texture. It is like the poet's dream, which succeeds 

 his rank -and golden youth. This globe is a fleet of 

 a hundred fairy balloons, each one of which bears a 

 seed which it is destined to drop far from the parent 

 source. 



Most weeds have their uses ; they are not wholly 

 malevolent. Emerson says a weed is a plant whose 

 virtues we have not yet discovered; but the wild 

 creatures discover their virtues, if we do not. The 

 bumble-bee has discovered that the hateful toad-flax, 

 which nothing will eat, and which in some soils will 

 run out the grass, has honey at its heart. Narrow- 

 leaved plantain is readily eaten by cattle, and the 

 honey-bee gathers much pollen from it. The ox- 

 eye daisy makes a fair quality of hay, if cut before 

 it gets ripe. The cows will eat the leaves of the 

 burdock and the stinging nettles of the woods. But 

 what cannot a cow's tongue stand ? She will crop 

 the poison ivy with impunity, and I think would eat 

 thistles, if she found them growing in the garden. 

 Leeks and garlics are readily eaten by cattle in the 

 spring, and are said to be medicinal to them. Weeds 

 that yield neither pasturage for bee nor herd, yet 

 afford seeds to the fall and winter birds. This is 

 true of most of the obnoxious weeds of the garden. 

 And of thistles. The wild lettuce yields down for the 



