234 PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 



native flora. Judgment should be exercised in providing the plants with 

 those natural conditions which are essential to their growth. Much 

 could be done in this way in a very limited time. We all realize the value 

 to the future of the careful planting of a single tree, but too few of us 

 realize the importance of saving our native shrubs and plants. If more 

 could be done in the way of pointing out the beauty of our native plants, 

 and the necessity of preserving them for their own sake and the sake of 

 posterity, those who now so thoughtlessly destroy them would conserve 

 them, would gather and sow seeds, transplant vines to cover and beautify 

 fences, fill the ugly corners with blossoming beauty, and move to the 

 roadsides the trees, bushes, and plants that are in the way in the fields. 

 Why may not Iowa have more of the fine old roadsides one sees in New 

 England, with their arching elms and endless succession of shrubs and 

 occasional colonies of hardy wayside flowers? It is only natural that with 

 the development of the country, the prairies which once contained so 

 many beautiful phlox, larkspurs, buttercups, honeysuckles and a multitude 

 of other varieties, should be cultivated/ but all the highways can be con- 

 verted into things of beauty by planting native flora and preserving those 

 that are already there from destruction by township officers, who seem to 

 prefer a bare road and mown grass to beautiful natural conditions. 



With the progress of intensive farming comes the plea for narrowing 

 the highways from sixty feet down to forty feet or less, so that the prod- 

 ucts of the farm may be increased. If this change should be made much 

 of the possibilities of beautifying the roadsides would be lost. If the 

 Illinois Central railroad, to save the expense of keeping "weeds" off its 

 right-of-way, carries out its announcement of cultivating its right-of-way 

 between Sioux City and Chicago, for the benefit of the adjoining farmers, 

 and the other roads do likewise, then one of the chief agencies for the 

 distribution and propagation of plant life will be cut off. Why not rather 

 treat railroad rights-of-way in a manner similar to that suggested for the 

 treatment of public highways, and thereby convert such unattractive 

 rights-of-way in avenues of beauty that would afford pleasure equally to 

 the localities traversed and the traveling public? Forage and the grains 

 are, of course, of the highest importance to Iowa, but do not the rare and 

 the beautiful things which have a place in the profound economy of nature 

 also have a right to existence, and is not their existence essential to 

 the highest human happiness and the finest type of civilization? Let us, 

 therefore, put forth such organized and individual effort as may be neces- 

 sary for the protection of our native plants, and the education of the 

 people to a realization of their nature and beauty. Let us change public 

 indifference into such interest as will concede the native plants of Iowa 

 a place in the economy of the state. If the subject receives the encour- 

 agement and support of all those who in the best sense love the trees, 

 shrubs, plants and flowers, they will in good season be amply rewarded 

 for their efforts by the success of the enterprise and the gratitude and 

 appreciation of all the people. Iowa Forestry and Conservation Asso- 

 ciation, Report 1914-15, pp 89-99. 



