THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 57 



curious commentary upon the short-sightedness of raihvay 

 officials in general that at the same time they are expending 

 much money for exotic shrubs for beautifying the grounds 

 surrounding the stations on their lines, they are ordering some 

 dollar-and-a-half man to get a scythe and cut down all the 

 wild-flowers that may happen to be growing on the right of 

 way between stations. Great clumps of turks-cap lilies, whole 

 acres of painted cup, banks of white anemones, low grounds 

 blue with wild hyacinth or drier slopes covered with lupine, ex- 

 tensive stretches of wild phlox whole galaxies of sunflowers 

 and many other highly ornamental plants that the railroads 

 actually pay for to ornament the station grounds, fall before 

 the vandal with a scythe as if they were so many burdocks or 

 thistles. It would seem that any official with sense enough 

 to recognize the value of shrubbery about the stations would 

 perceive the money value of these floral decorations along the 

 tracks. To be sure the railways embankments must be kept 

 cleared up to prevent fires and to keep untamed nature from 

 taking complete possession of ever}'thing but it would seem 

 that the showy flowers might be allowed to bloom undisturbed 

 and if they must be cut that this operation be delayed until the 

 blooming season is past. The man with a scythe ought to be 

 instructed to spare all plants that add beauty to the railway, 

 indeed, it might be possible to engage a botanist to mark with 

 appropriate labels the plants to be preserved. Those who are 

 working to preserve our vanishing wild-flowers might well 

 secure the co-operation of the railways in a matter so import- 

 ant to themselves and to the travelling public as this is. 



