260 Rhodora [OCTOBER 
in moderation. Such fragile blossoms are more effective if not 
heavily massed, but arranged a few sprays by themselves. 
From the purchase of the rarer flowers, especially of the purple- 
fringed orchid, by the roadside, we urge everyone to abstain. The 
country children who offer them for sale, are, innocently enough, the 
most dangerous enemies of all rare, salable flowers. 
Ferns, also, should be picked with care, and not too freely, unless 
in spots where they are unusually abundant. The same caution 
should be used against breaking branches from shrubs and trees in 
so rude a fashion as not only to cause a temporary disfigurement, 
but perhaps a permanent injury. 
The hobble-bush, whose effective leaves and brilliant berries deco- 
rate gaily the woods of late summer is frequently a victim to careless 
picking. 
The flowers growing in the immediate neighborhood of the road- 
side are a joy to the many. Is it too much to ask that these be left 
to delight the eyes of the passer-by, and that the flowers desired for 
decorative purposes be sought a few feet from the highway, or even 
from the trail? These roadside plants are constantly enjoyed by 
those who, by reason of age or some infirmity, could otherwise never 
see them. Were this once realized few would hesitate to take the 
trouble entailed by half a dozen extra steps. 
We should not fail to add that many of the most effective flowers 
may be gathered away from the wayside without fear of doing any 
permanent injury. Daisies, buttercups, clover, wild roses, meadow- 
sweet, steeple-bush, asters, golden-rod, and other vigorous and abun- 
dantly growing plants will yield ample material for decoration and 
may be gathered almost with impunity. 
To sum up we urge: 
1st. Moderation. (Not gathering too many flowers of the same 
kind in one locality.) 
2nd. Care. (The use of scissors or knife.) 
3rd. Judgment. (Guarding the roadside and conspicuous loca- 
tions.) 
4th. Occasional total abstinence. (In case of especially rare 
flowers.) 
Vol. 5, no. 57, including pages 213 to 236, was issued 6 September, 1903. 
