A NEW IDEA 107 



"Yes. And I know the last name, too ; it 's Azalea 

 mollis. I suppose that means it 's Molly's azalea. 

 That 's the way we say it. But when it 's a flower, 

 you turn it round and say, ' azalea Molly's.' " 



"I understand." 



"My seeds are all planted, and your garden 's 

 planted, too ; and then I have to set out the things 

 from the boxes ; and then there is my hedge to plant ; 

 and the weeds have begun to grow, too," went on the 

 small gardener ; "and you know you have to pull up 

 the weeds when they are little, because Mr. Trommel 

 says it's better to to e-rad-icate evil when it is little 

 than when it is big." 



Mr. Maxwell laughed. "Don't you find it hard to 

 know which is which when they 're all 'very little? 

 Don't you ever eradicate a plant by mistake?" 



Mary looked serious. 



"It is hard to tell, and I 've made some mistakes. 

 I eradicated some little plants that I thought were 

 weeds," she admitted. "But but that 's what Mr. 

 Trommel says, anyway," she ended conclusively. 



"School interferes very much with your regular 

 work, father ; and May is a very busy month for us 

 gardeners," she said again. "And yet there is just as 

 much to do at school as if it was February, when 



