372 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



Experiments With the Wonderberry. 



Athens, Ohio 

 To the Editor : 



Your letter of inquiry regarding" my 

 experiments with the wonderberry is 

 received. I hesitate to reply for fear 

 of adding to the confusion already ex- 

 isting regarding this plant, but I wish 

 to ask if much of this discussion would 

 not be eliminated if some one plan! 

 could be agreed upon as the real Bur- 

 bank wonderberry. For this localitv 

 there are at least three plants that go 

 by that name ; however, this distinc- 

 tion is based only on the size of the 

 berry. The berries that grew on my 

 experimental plot w r ere about as large 

 as a medium sized grape. The soil 

 was by no means good. 



You remember the size of the plot 

 (five by forty feet). Well, we gathered 

 nine gallons or thirty-six quarts of 

 berries. We are well pleased with 

 them and have had a number of per- 

 sons try them in several ways. They 

 did not become edible when raw, but 

 after cooking were fine ; some say ex- 

 cellent, but perhaps that is a little too 

 strong. I have never seen any state- 

 ment as to how to cook them, but we 

 found that tartaric acid (about a tea- 

 spoonful to a quart of berries), or 

 lemons, were necessary, also much 

 sugar, plenty of water and from one 

 to two hours in cooking. If you find a 

 better way, would be very glad to 

 know it. We wall try different plots 

 next season. 



W. F. Copeland, Ph.D. 



^ The La Rue Holmes Nature Lovers League 5 



By George Klingle, Summit, New Jersey 



"'The Guide to Nature" is the official organ of the LaRue Holmes Nature League. It is im- 

 portant, for the general League interest, that the magazine be liberably supported, through the active 

 cooperation of League members. — George Kingle. 



L. II. Nature League .Motto: "Self-sacrifice: heroism for another." 



What Can You Do About It? as the perfected rifles of the present, 



The birds of this country are the ar e vastly increasing in numbers. 



natural protectors of vegetation. It is Railroads and automobiles carry the 



said that without bird-life vegetation hunter to the heart of the forest where 



would eventually cease to exist. are the hitherto unmolested homes of 



-.tt- • , ■ • • the living things of the wild. 



\\ omen persist in wearing wings, & to 



and other parts of plumage," on hats To these increasing enemies of the 



though we know that while even the bird-world, add the fact that bird-life 



feathers of the domestic fowl are could not more than be maintained, 



worn, and the plume trade kept alive, without decrease, if man were entirely 



birds of all countries must perish. ' ,ll t °* the arena. 



Men destroy bird-life for "sport" The existing supply of bird-life is 



and to meet woman's demand for the insufficient for the protection of vege- 



feathers of her friends whose brief tation. It is estimated that more than 



lives are spent in protecting vegetation ei S ht millions of dollars in annual loss 



upon which she largely subsists. obtains, in this country, at this time, 



Parents present air-guns to boys who through insect ravages because of the 



emulating their fathers' example, soon destruction of the protectors of vege- 



become "good shots." tation. 



Men of science feel it necessary to For this reason the trees of this, and 



make private collections of the vanish- of other countries, are perishing. Mark 



ing species. the dead shafts of the white birch ; of 



Statistics show that hunters, and the conifers, and many another, on 



dogs trained for expert service, as well lawns and amid the forests. 



