troublesome weeds; they are perennials, and they also scatter a great
deal of seed. They have large clusters of small flowers without any true
petals. The leaves are very large and pointed, growing on long leaf
stems. The stems of the Dock are tough, and they blunt the mowers'
scythes and the knives of the mowing-machine.

Some people have a good word even for the Dock. They say that a Dock
leaf wrapped round the part stung by a nettle will lessen the pain;
others advise us to rub the part with Dock _seed._ I do not think myself
that either remedy has much effect; but the leaves of the Sorrel, which
is a relative of the Dock, _will_ lessen the pain of nettle stings. Mrs.
Hammond always uses Dock leaves to wrap round the pats of butter which
she sends to market.

Above us, in the hedge, are two of the sweetest flowers of the farm. The
pink Dog Rose is one. The petals of each blossom are five in
number--what a number of five-petalled flowers we have seen! The leaves
have five, or sometimes seven, serrated leaflets, one of which is always
at the end of the leaf stem. These leaflets are not always perfectly
straight; sometimes the pointed end turns a good deal to one side.

Of course we want to gather some of the flowers--who does not want to
gather Roses? We want some fully opened blossoms and many of the dainty
buds. But the straggling stems of the Rose soon teach us the truth of
the proverb: "No Rose without a Thorn." The stems are thickly covered
with thorns; these are not only sharp, but hooked as well, and we do not
get our bunch of roses without a scratch or two.

The other beauty of the hedge is the Honey-suckle--a lovely flower which
may also be a dangerous weed. The tight grasp of its strong twining stem
will soon seriously injure any young tree to which it clings. Here it is
doing little harm, and we need only think of the clusters of fragrant
flowers. Each cluster grows at the end of a stalk. Some are pale pink,
others golden yellow, while some are almost white. After the blossom
comes the bright red berry which contains the seed. The leaves grow in
pairs. Those low down on the stem have leaf stalks, but the upper ones
are sessile on the stem.

Taking care not to trample the grass, we have strolled down the
hedge-side till we have reached the other end of the field, where there
is a ditch. At once there is a fragrant scent in the air--a scent like
that of almonds. It is the Meadow Sweet which grows on the