238 THE PLANT WOELD 



THE PRESERVATION OF OUR WILD FLOWERS, 

 SHRUBS AND TREES. 



By Jessie Wai^lace. 



BEFOEE making any suggestions for the preservation of our native 

 plants it would be well to note carefully what are the destruc- 

 tive forces ; to diagnose the case before prescribing the remedies. 

 My knowledge of this subject is matter of personal experience, and to 

 recite the tale of an attempt along these lines may elucidate the matter. 



We have thirteen acres in Northern Westchester, near Hudson, just 

 outside a to-woi limits. Nearly in the centre of our domain is a half acre 

 of primitive wood, containing numerous specimens of finest native trees, 

 and in spring carpeted with wild flowers. In spring time, especially on 

 beautiful Sundays, the young people and children wandering up the 

 valley from the town would denude our woods of flowers were it not for 

 our vigilance. As a rule the small girls and boys are most destructive 

 in their manner of picking. 



One day a little fellow came to me, with a " please, ma'am, may I 

 pick a few flowers out of your woods." Giving the desired permission 

 it was rather amazing later to see what a few flowers had meant. Great 

 bunches of the blood-root filled his hands and it is doubtful if he had 

 left any in sight. Since then the small boy has not enjoyed the free- 

 dom of our woods. This boy, like many others of whom he is but an 

 example, could turn a few pennies by the sale of these flowers ; others 

 seem simply to enjoy the gathering of the beautiful things and drop 

 them in a few moments for fresh ones. The older people may occasion- 

 ally pick in quantities, but according to my observation less seldom 

 than children and lads. 



In order to prevent the destruction of these flowers there are doubt- 

 less some measures which will check, if not wholly stop, their ruthless 

 picking. 



There is a law forbidding trespass which can be enforced, if neces- 

 sary, but within my acquaintance have come very few farmers who have 

 sufiicient love for the beautiful to see that people are kept off their lands 

 who wander over them merely, as they consider, for harmless purposes. 

 It would be possible, however, in my opinion, to arouse their interest in 

 this direction through the Granges, and that of the children through 

 the schools. Let the society interested in this work publish pamphlets 

 giving short descriptions of the wild flowers in danger of extermination, 

 how they increase, and the benefit their beauty brings to mankind, and 

 let this matter be distributed to the schools which will use it. If the 

 attention of the children is brought to the matter and their interest 

 aroused they are much more likely to be careful than if they were wholly 

 ignorant of the matter. 



