So Tommy had to dig his farm over again , and plant peas . But they were late ; the birds ate many ; the bushes , not being firmly planted , blew down , and when the poor peas came at last , no one cared for them , as their day was over , and spring-lamb had grown into mutton . Tommy consoled himself with a charitable effort ; for he transplanted all the thistles he could find , and tended them carefully for Toby , who was fond of the prickly delicacy , and had eaten all he could find on the place . The boys had great fun over Tom 's thistle bed ; but he insisted that it was better to care for poor Toby than for himself , and declared that he would devote his entire farm next year to thistles , worms , and snails , that Demi 's turtles and Nat 's pet owl might have the food they loved , as well as the donkey . So like shiftless , kind-hearted , happy-go-lucky Tommy ! Demi had supplied his grandmother with lettuce all summer , and in the autumn sent his grandfather a basket of turnips , each one scrubbed up till it looked like a great white egg . His Grandma was fond of salad , and one of his Grandpa 's favorite quotations was , `` Lucullus , whom frugality could charm , Ate roasted turnips at the Sabine farm . '' Therefore these vegetable offerings to the dear domestic god and goddess were affectionate , appropriate , and classical . Daisy had nothing but flowers in her little plot , and it bloomed all summer long with a succession of gay or fragrant posies . She was very fond of her garden , and delved away in it at all hours , watching over her roses , and pansies , sweet-peas , and mignonette , as faithfully and tenderly as she did over her dolls or her friends . Little nosegays were sent into town on all occasions , and certain vases about the house were her especial care . She had all sorts of pretty fancies about her flowers , and loved to tell the children the story of the pansy , and show them how the step-mother-leaf sat up in her green chair in purple and gold ; how the two own children in gay yellow had each its little seat , while the step children , in dull colors , both sat on one small stool , and the poor little father in his red nightcap , was kept out of sight in the middle of the flower ; that a monk 's dark face looked out of the monk 's - hood larkspur ; that the flowers of the canary-vine were so like dainty birds fluttering their yellow wings , that one almost expected to see them fly away , and the snapdragons that went off like little pistol-shots when you cracked them . Splendid dollies did she make out of scarlet and white poppies , with ruffled robes tied round the waist with grass blade sashes , and astonishing hats of coreopsis on their green heads . Pea-pod boats , with rose-leaf sails , received these flower-people , and floated them about a placid pool in the most charming style ; for finding that there were no elves , Daisy made her own , and loved the fanciful little friends who played their parts in her summer-life . Nan went in for herbs , and had a fine display of useful plants , which she tended with steadily increasing interest and care . Very busy was she in September cutting , drying , and tying up her sweet harvest , and writing down in a little book how the different herbs are to be used . She had tried several experiments , and made several mistakes ; so she wished to be particular lest she should give little Huz another fit by administering wormwood instead of catnip . Dick , Dolly , and Rob each grubbed away on his small farm , and made more stir about it than all the rest put together . Parsnips and carrots were the crops of the two D. 's ; and they longed for it to be late enough to pull up the precious vegetables . Dick did privately examine his carrots , and plant them again , feeling that Silas was right in saying it was too soon for them yet .
XXXXX 's crop was four small squashes and one immense pumpkin .
Daisy Rob Tommy canary-vine hours pistol-shots posies rose-leaf sashes spring-lamb