DANDELION 



39 



Why do dandelions, milkweeds, thistles, and other plants 

 spring up on heaps of soil soon after it is thrown out of' cellars 

 and wells? Do 

 you think the 

 seeds had lain 

 buried beneath 

 the ground or 

 were they brought 

 to the heap af- 

 ter the soil was 

 thrown up? Have 

 you seen grass and 

 weeds growing on 

 the roofs of old 

 houses ? How did 

 the plants get 

 there ? 



Notice the 

 seeds in a milk- 

 weed pod. What is the shape of a seed ? What is the dif- 

 ference between the fluff on a milkweed seed and the fluff on 

 a dandelion seed ? If milkweeds are plentiful, you may some- 

 times see their seeds floating high up in the air. 



Pull a ripe cat-tail to pieces. Each tiny bunch of floss on a 

 cat-tail is attached to a seed. How many seeds do you suppose 

 each cat-tail sends out? Give one reason why cat-tails are 

 plentiful in muddy swamps. 



What other seeds do you know that have fluffy wings ? 



Cotton is the fluff that is fast to the seeds of the cotton 

 plant, like the fluff on milkweed seeds. 



DANDELION HEADS 



