The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-22
A PLEA FOR THE DANDELIoN.

A woman's club at Kokomo, Ind,
devoted to civic improvements, has
declared a war of determination
against the dandelion. Filled with
virtuous ardor and mistaken enthu-
siasm, they denounced our humble
friend as "a weed' and decided that
It must 60. They even prevailed on
the Mayor to issue proclamation
pronouncing it an outlaw and setting
aside day to be devoted to its
slaughter. This seems ungrateful
treatment for a plant which has con-
ferred SO much innocent JOY on man,
which has so many uses and solid
virtues, which asks for no favors cx-
cept room to grow in. The dandelion
does not hurt the lawns, but beauti-
hes them. What prettier spectacle
than a greensward sprinkled with
those golden blooms? Long before
the rose has made its appearance,
when the lilacs are still in hiding, the
violas afraid to peep ont, and the ge-
raniun, heliotrope, gladiolus and
other aristocrats have to be coddled
in greenhouses, the little dandelion
has come to encourage and console.
1t isn't afraid of the bleak March
winds. 1t defes April freezes and
May chils, and despite backward
springs it is on hand as harbinger.
If it had no other claim than being
"the first flower" that alone should
entitle it to our gratitude. But it
does not rest its claims to live on SEN
timental grounds. It can show vari
Gus uses that are valuable, not de-
pending on ''rnere looks" like a
prize beauty, as is the case with most
flowers.
Consult any chemist and he will
tell you that Taraxicum Dens Leonis
furnishes fine medicinal ingredients
from its milky juice. Ask any house
wife and she will tell you that there
are no better greens and salad
than those furnished by the leaves of
the dandelion. And the children
are they going to stand by and see
their best friend wiped from the face
of the earth by lot Of overzealous
women? From time immemorial its
stems have furnished millions of
children with raw material for making
curls and its ripened seeds have sup
piled young lovers With the means of
deciding their fate. At Easter, when
eggs are to be died, what finer mate
rial for coloring than the roots of the
dandelion? It does not ask for cul-
tivation, as all the fashionable flowers
do. 1t takes care of itself. It weeds
its own row. 1t does not have to be
mulched, or potted or protected in
any way. 1t is winter proof in any
climate and hangs its yellow banner
on the outer walls before other spring
fcwers, protected by glass, dare to
step out of doors.
What costly orchid or imported
szothouse plant hassso many Things to
its credit as the dandelion? 1t is not
only pretty to see, but good to eat,
and with proper distillation furnishes
material for various medicinal COM
pounds. It is the Cinderella of flow
ers, looked down on by its sisters,
neglected by its mother, sneered at
and prosecuted by those it unselfshly
benefits. Is there no fairy godmoth-
er to take it by the hand, lead it into
cultivated ways and improve instead
of killing it. Many of our finest
flowers were once weeds, but were
rescued and reformed by tender
nursing. Can't some Burbank or
other Aoriculturist take up Our hum
bic little friend and convert it into
gorgeous glory which these Kokomo
women will not turn up their noses
at? There would seem to be in it
the making of something that would
surpass anything in our conservato-
ries. There is basis of sturdy vir-
tues to build on, hardness that is
unusual, a constancy seldom found
in the floral world. We appeal,
therefore, to the irate women's clubs,
as we'll as to our farmer friends, who
are inclined to be provoked at the
spread of the dandelion over their
meadows, to train and reform instead
of destroying it.-Amey1cam Fa'mer.
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