THISTLES. 17 
like those of the dandelion, and in very much the 
same way. 
The Canada thistle spreads by running roots that 
live through the winter, as well as by seeds, so no 
wonder it quickly found its way far and wide. 
It is for this reason sometimes called the creeping 
thistle, and because it is so troublesome it is also 
named the Cursed thistle. 
There is a thistle in Europe which bears a light yel- 
low flower head and is called the Blessed thistle or the 
Holy thistle. It has its name because people used to 
believe it had power to counteract poison. This thistle 
has been brought over from Europe, and is sometimes 
to be found in the southern part of the United States, 
where it has run wild. 
Thistle heads are often very large and handsome. 
Like the dandelion flower clusters, they are made up of 
a large number of small blossoms. 
Bees and blossoms are very fond of thistle honey, 
and they can almost always be found on the blossoms, 
sucking out the drop of honey which is to be found in 
each little flower of the cluster. 
At the bottom of each little flower, as in the dande- 
lion, is an akene. An akene, we remember, is a tight- 
fitting seed case containing one seed. The thistle akene 
also has a plume to fly with. 
The thistle plume has no stalk, but grows right from 
