160 THE PLANT WORLD 



work, or structure, on the land of another, or shall wilfully cut, destroy, 

 or take away from the land of another, any creeping fern, crops, shrub, 

 fruit or vegetable production, shall be fined not more than one hundred 

 dollars or imprisoned not more than twelve months, or both." 



" Wilfully injure any tree," etc., is directed especially toward those 

 who denude white birches of their bark ; for if the whole thickness of 

 bark is removed it frequently results in killing the tree. 



The lines regarding the destruction of "any creeping fern " were in- 

 tended to protect particularly the Hartford fern, the walking-fern, and 

 maiden-hair. 



"Sec. 1. Every person who shall wilfully pull up, tear up, dig up, 

 or destroy any trailing arbutus from the land of another, or who shall 

 sell, expose for sale, purchase, or have in his possession, any arbutus 

 with the roots or underground stems attached, shall be fined not more 

 than twenty dollars ; provided, however, that anj^ person may take such 

 arbutus on land owned or leased by him, or with the permission of the 

 owner or lessee. 



" Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from its passage. 



"Approved May 11, 1899." 



While the thoughtless tearing up of plants works great havoc, fire is 

 perhaps the worst agent for their destruction. In mountainous districts 

 these fires are very often started by the old berry-pickers ; for tracts thus 

 cleared will in two or three years yield a rich harvest of blueberries. To 

 prevent these fires the following law was passed : 



" Section 1344. Every person who shall set fire on any land, that 

 shall run upon the land of an)^ other person, shall pay to the owner all 

 damages done by such fire." 



Legal procedure is, however, of little permanent avail — indeed it 

 often serves only to bring to the attention of the public the fact that such 

 and such things are rare or beautiful, with the natural consequence that 

 conditions are made rather worse than better by those whose chief delight 

 is in breaking such laws. What then can be done to preserve and protect 

 those treasures of field and woodland which so delight the heart of every 

 child of man ? 



The love of flowers is common to all, and the true appreciation of 

 them we wish rather to promote than to discourage. There can be little 

 doubt that one of the primary uses of flowers is to delight the eye of 

 mankind. We often hear people say of this or that flower, "I just love 

 them . ' ' We surely hope so ; but how deep and genuine is that love 

 which allows us to root up every flower in sight, when we have come 

 suddenly upon a clump of rare orchids or fringed gentians. Certainly 

 our love for them (if such it can be called) has got the better of our 



