1903] Plant Protection 259 
A LEAFLET OF THE SEAL HARBOR VILLAGE 
IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY. 
[It is well known that in the neighborhood of our summer resorts, many 
of our native plants are becoming less abundant every vear, and some of 
them are in great danger of extermination. The number of plants gathered 
by plant lovers for various purposes is far greater than one would suppose. 
A year ago it was suggested to the Village Improvement Society at Seal 
Harbor, Maine, that something might be done to check unnecessary and 
careless gathering of the native plants in that part of Mount Desert Island. 
In consequence of this suggestion a committee was appointed to consider 
the matter. As one result of thisaction a circular was prepared by two mem- 
bers of the committee, Prof. Samuel F. Clarke and Mrs. Frances Theodora 
Parsons, which was wideiy distributed through the village. So many 
instances have been observed in which the recommendations of this circular 
have been adopted by the summer visitors that it seems well to give it a still 
wider circulation. It is therefore reprinted below with only a few unimpor- 
tant omissions relating to local plants.— Ed.] 
It is to the interest of every visitor to Mount Desert that its 
beautiful and characteristic plants be guarded from extermination. 
It is believed that everyone will be ready to aid in this work if once 
he, or she, fully realizes the danger with which these plants are now 
threatened. 
It is not our wish to discourage unnecessarily the gathering of 
wild flowers and ferns for decorative purposes. We ask only that 
they be picked with care and discrimination. Such a flower, for 
example, as the blue-bell, which forms so beautiful a feature on the 
rocks along the shore, should always be cut with the scissors or a 
knife,' rather than picked, to prevent its being uprooted, and even 
when cut, care should be taken to gather it only where it grows most 
abundantly, that no picturesque tuft be so completely done away 
with as to set no seeds for another year. 
Where there is an especially fine plant or colony, or where there 
is a single plant or small colony, why not leave at least half the 
flowers for seed, in the one case giving nature a chance to perpetuate 
and develop the best, and in the other, helping nature to extend 
her work of beautifying our surroundings? 
The pink lady-slipper, or moccasin flower, the purple fringed 
orchid, the Calopogon, Pogonia, and indeed all the orchids, should 
be cut (not picked) fairly high up the stem, leaving, whenever possi- 
ble the lower leaves intact. 
If these flowers are not to be exterminated they should not be 
gathered at all unless found growing very abundantly, and then only 
