152 UNDER THE OPEN SKY 



bouquet. In the dandelion every narrow 

 strap is a flower in itself, and as many as two 

 hundred of them may unite to form the 

 bloom that catches our eye. In the thistle 

 each slendej purple tube is the flower, and 

 the thistle head with its prickly surround- 

 ings may contain many hundreds of flowers. 

 In our yellow friend not only is each yellow 

 ray a flower but the brown eye of the cluster 

 is fairly packed with abundant florets. It 

 is this fine spirit of co-operation amongst 

 these flowers that has probably been the 

 biggest factor in making of this family the 

 successful group that it is. > 



But another quality has also done much 

 to help them along in the world, and that is 

 their wonderful adaptability. Whatever the 

 nature of the surroundings, so long as there 

 is warmth enough, a place will be made for 

 itself by some "composite," for so are the 

 members of this family named. 



THE TRUE ARISTOCRACY 



But even in this group there are degrees 

 of aristocracy, indeed examples of all shades 



