192 THE PLANT WORLD 



BRIEFER ARTICLES. 



The Society for the Preservation of Native Plants, 



Tlie following circular, which Avas issued recently, merits the care- 

 ful attention of all plant lovers: 



A number of persons who take a keen interest in wild floM'ers have 

 united to form a " Society for the Protection of Native Plants." The 

 objects of this society are to try and do something to check the whole- 

 sale destruction to which many of our native plants are exposed — a de- 

 struction often a matter of i)ure thoughtlessness in the excessive pick- 

 ing of flowers, and unnecessary pulling up of roots, or an extensive col- 

 lecting of flowers and plants for sale. 



It is the intention of the society to publish brief articles, or leaflets, 

 calling the attention of thouglitful i^eople to the matter, and to point 

 out what plants especially need protection and in what way the desired 

 end may be best affected. It is the intention to distribute these leaflets 

 to teachers in our schools, to flower missions and %dllage improvement 

 societies, and in such other places as it may seem that they will be 

 effective. 



This movement for the protection of native plants has the approval 

 of the New England Botanical Club, which, as a body, feels keenlj'^ the 

 loss or great reduction of many plants once more or less abundant in 

 the neighborhood of our large cities. 



For information in regard to the Society for the Protection of 

 Native Plants, or its leaflets, application may be made to Miss Maria E. 

 Carter, Curator of Herbarium, Boston Society of Natural History, 

 Berkeley street, Boston, Mass. 



In addition to this circular the society has sent out the first of a 

 series of educational leaflets, in which some of the plants especially in 

 need of protection near Boston are enumerated. There should be a 

 large enrollment of botanists and nature students in this society, and 

 the fullest measure of support should be extended to its aims and en- 

 deavors. — C. L. P. 



Veratrum Woodii in iowa. 



In the August number of The Plant World Professor Pammel 

 gives some interesting notes concerning the above-named species. We 

 have lived many j^ears in southern Iowa and have had occasion to ob- 

 serve this species at its best in its native haunts. This Veratrum has 

 been regarded as a rare species in Iowa and is seldom found in her- 

 baria made up of Iowa material. The reason we shall try to explain. 



