Mr. Blake mixed some poison called arsenic in a can of water and sprinkled
it on Mab's bean plants. In a few days the beetles had died, or they went
away, not liking the taste of the poisoned leaves, and Mab's beans were
allowed to grow in peace. That war was over. But other bugs and worms came
in the Blake garden, and Daddy Blake, Uncle Pennywait and Aunt Lolly, as
well as the children and their mother, were kept busy. The cut worms got
in among the cabbages, and many a nice plant was gnawed off close to the
ground, dropping over and wilting away until it died. The cut worms came
up out of the ground and ate the tiny cabbage stalks close to the earth.

"We shall have to put collars on the cabbage plants," said Daddy Blake, as
he looked at some which were killed.

"Put collars on cabbages--how?" asked Mab.

"I'll show you," said her father.

He took some tough paper and made a sort of hollow tube around the stalk
of each cabbage plant, tying the paper with string. One end was shoved
down in the ground, the other being close up around the lowest cabbage
leaves, until it did look as though the plant had on a high, stiff collar.

"The worms can't bite through the paper--or at least they hardly ever
do," said Daddy Blake, "and after a while the cabbage stalk will get so
strong that the worms can not do it any damage."

By this time many things were growing in the Blake garden. The tomato
plants had been set out, and for the first day or so had been kept covered
with pieces of paper so the strong sun would not wilt them. They had been