202 ' THE PLANT WORLD 



Many of the places near the city are as yet undespoiled. Parts of East 

 Chester, still full of wild flowers, are with very few exceptions visited 

 only by women, who gather up the broken tree branches. 



Repeatedly have we gone to various parts of Mosholm, meeting no 

 more than two people all day long. In one place hepatica could be picked 

 within two feet of the street through which the trolley runs. In another, 

 much farther oil, thousands of dicentia bloom annually. In a third, 

 fringed gentian holds its own, quite near the cars, too. That one or two 

 others find this, there is sufficient proof ; but they, too, exercise self- 

 control. The haunts of the yellow cypripedium, though known to quite 

 a number of people, were until last year but little disturbed. This change 

 may be due to the cutting down of adjacent trees or to other agencies not 

 human. A twenty-minute ride on the train will bring you to another 

 fairy-land of rock pink and columbine, in spring. Here you may meet a 

 couple of boys going fishing. The houses seem set right in among the 

 wild flowers. 



Other places visited in September show that the cardinal flower was 

 most valued. Little else seems to have been taken. The dogwood has 

 suffered more than any plant I know. Here I have seen vandalism 

 enough. But with that exception, cultivation, the building of new roads 

 as well as houses, drainage, and the cutting down of timber have done 

 more to deprive us of our wild growth than countless flower-gatherers. 



Near Astoria a few years ago a swampy field was blue as the sky with 

 fringed gentian. Underground heat was applied so that great fissures 

 were seen. Corn replaced the flowers. 



Beyond Bronx Park there is a residence park which was three years 

 ago full of the pink azalea or Pinkter flower. The Italians in the neigh- 

 borhood cut down many of the fine trees during the night, trampling the 

 undergrowth to pieces. In self-defense the residents cut down almost all 

 that remained, creating utter desolation. There had been a swamp full 

 of marsh marigold ; this was drained. Another part of the park where 

 Trillium cerunum grew quite plentifully now grows potatoes. At Bed- 

 ford Park, just facing the museum building but outside of the Bronx, 

 there was a deep swamp where pogonia and calopogon grew profusely. 

 Many other rare things grew here. This was drained and the ground 

 carried off. Concerning this wiping out of existence, I feel a keen personal 

 loss, as I have never seen these orchids elsewhere near the city. Have 

 been told that they grow at Far Rockaway, but of the two ladies who 

 know where, one is subject to ivy poisoning and the other to hay fever, 

 so I guess that's safe until cut up into city lots. 



A friend living almost " in the heart of the ancient wood," where 

 acres of land were flaming with the painted cup, had to see that flower 

 make way for corn. Another part of the same woods, full of rare wild 



