CHOOSING YOUR OWN WEEDS 181 



the growth is good, and the bloom beautiful; but it 

 is only a mere hint of what is to follow as these 

 plants gain strength. The fine, fern-like foliage 

 lasts in complete greenness until frost, and is itself 

 of sufficient merit, if there were no bloom of scarlet 

 and gold on nodding stems, to commend the plant. 

 Isn't this a good "weed" to choose? 



The worst dock neighborhood has been cleaned 

 out again, and the space filled in part with the 

 columbine and in part with the common blue flag, 

 or German iris. The latter is vigorous, spreading, 

 almost evergreen, and entirely better than bur- 

 docks, isn't it? 



Two other spots in the half-shade are now 

 given over to a certain plant of the strawberry 

 family Duchesnea indica. It has good foliage, and 

 its little yellow flowers are followed by humbug 

 scarlet "fruits" that hang long, and are immune 

 from human interference, because entirely taste- 

 less. This is another and excellent chosen weed, 

 and curiously enough, it is East Indian in origin, 

 becoming naturalized in Europe, and in some way 

 escaping the greenhouse "hanging-basket" so as 

 to have acclimated itself here. For the toughest 

 spot in my whole growing garden the dry, root- 

 filled slope under the big west horse-chestnut I 

 have started and growing a creeping ranunculus, 



