'And what is Acer rubrum?'
'Just soft maple, Miss Esther.'
'Oh, that is beautiful! Do you know everything that grows, Christopher?'
'No, Miss Esther; there's no man living that does that. They say it
would take all one man's life to know just the orchids of South
America; without mentioning all that grows in the rest of the world.
There's an uncommon great number of plants on the earth, to be sure!'
'And trees.'
'Ain't trees plants, mum?'
'Are they? Christopher, are those dandelions weeds?'
'No, Miss Esther; they're more respectable.'
'How do you know they're not weeds?'
Christopher laughed a little, partly at his questioner, partly at the question; nevertheless the answer was not so ready as usual.