WEEDS 



By PROF. FREDERICK L. HOLTZ, Brooklyn Tralnin? School for TeacherH 

 Teachers, very properly, depend chiefly u\Knn the showy flow- 

 ers, such as roses, violets, sunflowers, for their Ix^tanical material 

 for nature lessons. The great aesthetic interest in these flowers 

 makes them especially desirable. Weeds, on the other hand, are 

 generally considered unworthy of notice. This, however, is a 

 mistake. 



It is difficult to distinguish between "flower" and **weed". 

 The terms are simply relative. With few exceptions, weeds are 

 flowering plants. Some of them have pretty, showy flowers ; for 



AN OLD FARMYARD ABANDONED TO THE WEEDS 



example, dandelion, daisy, thistle. Even the less conspicuous- 

 have flowers which are remarkably interesting as to their struc- 

 ture and adaptation, and some of these, when closely examined^ 

 are very beautiful. At any rate, weeds have their element of 

 beauty, if not in their flowers, then in their leaves or the general 

 aspect of the whole plant. It is good to teach children to see this 

 beauty. Many weeds furnish excellent material for the art work. 



