A SHARP LOOKOUT. 11 



and then rises up. It is true that the dandelion lowers 

 itself after flowering, retires from society, as it were, 

 and meditates in seclusion ; but after it lifts itself up 

 again the stalk begins anew to grow, it lengthens 

 daily, keeping just above the grass till the fruit is 

 ripened, and the little globe of silvery down is carried 

 many inches higher than was the ring of golden flow- 

 ers. And the reason is obvious. The plant depends 

 upon the wind to scatter its seeds ; every one of these 

 little vessels spreads a sail to the breeze, and it is 

 necessary that they be launched above the grass and 

 weeds, amid which they would be caught and held 

 did the stalk not continue to grow and outstrip the 

 rival vegetation. It is a curious instance of foresight 

 in a weed. 



I wish I could read as clearly this puzzle of the 

 button-balls (American plane-tree). Why has Nature 

 taken such particular pains to keep these balls hang- 

 ing to the parent tree intact till spring ? What secret 

 of hers has she buttoned in so securely ? for these but- 

 tons will not come off. The wind cannot twist them 

 off, nor warm nor wet hasten or retard them. The 

 stem, or peduncle, by which the ball is held in the fall 

 and winter, breaks up into a dozen or more threads 

 or strands, that are stronger than those of hemp. 

 When twisted tightly they make a little cord that I 

 find it impossible to break with my hands. Had they 

 been longer the Indian would surely have used them 

 to make his bow-strings and all the other strings he 

 required. One could hang himself with a small cord 



