PROFESSOR BONN'S LETTER 121 



out as though he meant to cover the whole of 

 America. 



"And dey hev all come from Europe, mine 

 son. Dey are just as European as Herr Wilhelm 

 Fritz. Der seeds hev come over in der ships, and 

 dey hev even crossed der ocean in der air, dey 

 hev been so anxious to get here. Den dey get 

 treated prutty veil and dey stay, Der is just more 

 of dem here dan Herr Wilhelm Fritz can count. 

 But der Milkveed belongs here, and it is a veed." 



It was no use trying to make Herr Wilhelm 

 Fritz believe Milkweeds were flowers when he 

 had called them weeds ; but Tommy said he would 

 find out about the European weeds, and what Herr 

 Wilhelm Fritz had meant by saying their seeds 

 had crossed the ocean in the air. 



That evening Philip sent his note to Professor 

 Bonn and the very next day he received an answer. 

 The letter was long and written so close and fine 

 that Grandmother had to read it to us. This is 

 what it said: 



" My Dear Philip: 



" Let me congratulate you because you have 

 found the early Milkweed, and because your eyes 

 are sharp. I presume you wore no glasses when 

 you noticed that it was different from the common 

 Milkweed, which we will not see bobbing its heavy 

 head of pale pink blossoms along the roadside 

 fences until June is farther on its way. 



