BURDOCKS. 67 
the burr, full of ripe akenes, is pulled from the plant 
and is carried away. It is easy to guess why this 
happens. 
When one tries to pull a ripe burr from the clothes, 
it falls all to pieces and the akenes spill out. Then 
each hook has to be pulled out separately, and very 
likely each one will prick the fingers. 
Children sometimes pick the burrs before they are 
ripe, and stick them together to make baskets and other 
things. Then the burrs do not fall to pieces nor prick 
the fingers much. The burdock has a rank, disagree- 
able odor that clings to the fingers a long time after 
the burrs have been handled. It is not easy even to 
wash it off. 
Children often pick ripe burrs and throw them at 
each other. Some think this is funny, and some think 
it is naughty. 
Burdocks yield a valuable medicine ; so they are 
useful as well as troublesome. 
mm p 
wfk 
