220 THE NATURE-STUDY REl'IEW [i, 5. sept. 1905 



A PLEA FOR THE WILD FLOWERS 



[Editorial Note. — The following notes from The Plant World, the official 

 organ of the Wild Flower Preservation Society of America, deserve wide 

 circulation among nature-study teachers, who in turn can reach the 

 children.] 



It is to the interest of everyone that beautiful and characteristic 

 plants be guarded from extermination. It is believed that every 

 one 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 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 colon} - , or where there is a single 

 plant or a 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's-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 

 possible, 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 

 onlv in moderation. Such fragile blossoms are more effective if 

 not heavily massed, but arranged in a few sprays by themselves. 



From the purchase of the rarer flowers, especially of the purple 

 fringed orchid, sabbatia, fringed gentians, or mayflower, we urge 

 every one to abstain. Children sometimes offer them for sale, 

 innocently enough ; but those who buy, and so induce the gather- 

 ing and selling, are the most dangerous enemies of all rare salable 

 flowers. 



The bunch-berry is another plant which is less abundant now 

 than it was a few years ago, owing, we fear, to careless uprooting ; 

 and it stands in need of protection. 



Ferns, also, should be picked with care, and not too freely. 



