THE PI.AN'r WORI.D 159 



of the winter. After maturity they become dark purple, at first along 

 the veins, but as winter comes on and cold weather increases the whole 

 leaf becomes an iridescent purple, especially so on the under side ; 

 finally, as spring approaches and the sap ascends and new leaves and 

 flowers begin to develop the old leaves become sere and fall off. The 

 plant is said to be an evergreen in its more southern home. The dark- 

 green foliage of this plant is one of the most characteristic and beautiful 

 objects in our winter woods in bottom lands, being one of the first objects 

 seen in the distant gloom and thickets. It is a free bloomer and is a 

 magnificent plant when in its prime. Although the rich river-bottom 

 lands are its preference, yet it does well in almost any kind of soil and 

 surroundings when planted out and given a support to climb on, produc- 

 ing a great profusion of flowers during the month of May. With all these 

 qualifications it is surprising it is so seldom seen in cultivation in this 

 country and that so little has been said about it in our literature. 

 Mt. Carmel, 111. 



The Preservation of Native Plants.* 



By David S. George. 



In the progress of civilization a point has been reached where we 

 begin to realize that the rare, the beautiful, and the harmless all have a 

 place in the economy of nature and a right to their existence ; that the 

 wholesale destruction of harmless wild creatures for the mere sake of 

 killing, or of ornamenting somebody's person, and the indiscriminate 

 gathering of rare wild flowers, are barbarisms, prompted generally by 

 selfish motives ; that the nature of every animal, the true beauty of every 

 bird, butterfly, or flower is seen and studied to advantage only when 

 under natural conditions. 



Many charming native plants, once common, are fast disappearing at 

 the hands of those who, often thoughtlessly no doubt, continue to gather 

 in quantity our wild orchids, fringed gentians, arbutus, azaleas, rare 

 ferns, ground pine, mountain laurel, and the cardinal flower. 



In some States there are laws for the protection of certain plants 

 whose fast-approaching doom has awakened the public to a sense of duty. 



The following is a verbatim copy from the Connecticut State Laws 

 Protecting Wild Flowers, Trees, etc. : 



" Section 1463. Every person who shall wilfully injure any tree or 

 shrub standing upon the land of another, or on the public highway in 

 front of said land, or injure or throw down any fence, trellis, frame- 



• Published by courtesy of the New York Botanical Garden. 



