96 NATURE STUDY REVIEW [10:3— Mar., 1914 



In city communities, there are Audubon societies, and 

 wildflower preservative societies, and civic improvement 

 societies, and conservation societies, etc., that include in 

 their membership the best brains and culture of the place; 

 and the aid of such organizations is easily enlisted in such a 

 cause. In any community there are those that love the beauty 

 and freshness of unspoiled nature, and who will gladly use 

 their influence toward saving something for future enjoy- 

 ment. The first thing to be done is to see that those admin- 

 istering the public works in question are ir formed of the 

 value of the wild things about to be destroyed. Often, it 

 is necessary that they be informed of the very existence of 

 such things. Next there is need of eternal vigilance. 



Improving waste places. When necessary public works, 

 however destructive of natural scenery, have been completed, 

 then a little careful forethought for the use of the things 

 nature freely offers, will make the place beautiful again. 

 The naturalist should assist in planning their betterment. 

 He of all people, should know what things are most available, 

 and best suited to every use and situation. 



Suppose a bridge is to be built. Everybody knows that 

 an old bridge, settled in the midst of clumps of greenery and 

 spanning a clear stream makes a beautiful picture. A new 

 bridge looks otherwise: it rises starkly from a sea of mud, 

 joins two new-born dump heaps. For, when a bridge is built, 

 usually just enough money is appropriated to do the necess- 

 ary excavating, to dispose of the dirt in the easiest way and 

 to put up the bridge itself : nothing is available for restoring 

 beauty to the place. What are the things needed for this? 

 Willows by the waterside : filmy pale green small-leaved wild 

 willows, to nestle in soft masses by the abutments : elms and 

 sycamores to cover the rising slopes; or vines, if the dump be 

 of broken stone : swamp iris or water shamrock to cover the 

 bare mud — things that do not cost a cent for they may be 

 found in nature's wild nurseries; things that will grow with- 

 out any coddling, that need only proper planting — in short 

 the things that grow wild in such places. These will restore 

 the beauty of the place in the minimum of time, and with 

 the least expense. In the course of years, nature, if not 

 prevented, will restore these things herself: but the effect 



