16 
LITTLE WANDERERS. 
at them, but on the whole the thistles are let alone, 
excepting by the farmer, who digs them up. 
Thistles are much more troublesome than dandelions, 
for they get into the hay and grain, and if let alone 
some kinds will kill 
out all other plants 
and occupy the land 
themselves. 
There are many 
kinds of thistles. 
Our large native ones 
that bear beautiful 
showy purple, or 
pink, or white heads 
are not, as a rule, 
very troublesome to 
the farmer. 
The little Canada 
thistle is the pest he 
dreads. That, like 
the dandelion, came 
from Europe. No doubt its seeds were first brought 
over — a very few of them — with other seeds from 
the Old World. But all the little emigrant asked was 
to get started. 
Once across the sea, it was able to conquer the plants 
of America and get a place for itself, for its seeds fly, 
