PRESERVATION OF NEW ENGLAND PLANTS 279 



have already destroyed great quantities of this, one of the most 

 beautiful shrubs in America. 



Many wild flowers which twenty years ago were common are 

 now seldom found, and unless the people are willing to protect 

 rare and easily exterminated species they will soon be lost to 

 New England. For example, the Magnolia or Sweet Bay has 

 from over picking practically disappeared from the swamp in the 

 town in Essex County, Massachusetts, to which it gave its name 

 and which was the only place in New England where this fragrant 

 flower grew naturally. 



Every one interested is invited to become a member of this 

 Society. 



For further information apply to 



Mrs. S. V. R. Crosby 



Care of Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 300 Massachusetts 

 Avenue, Boston 17, Massachusetts. 



The following circulars are published and sent out by the 

 Society for the Preservation of Native New England Plants, 

 Horticultural Hall, Boston, Mass. 



How Teachers Can Help the Wild-flowers 



Among the many groups of persons coming into close contact 

 with the important problem of wild-flower preservation, none 

 has perhaps a. greater chance to help in its solution than have the 

 teachers in the American schools. The development of the pub- 

 lic opinion of the next generation is in their hands, and the awaken- 

 ing of a wide ideal of the conservation of our natural forms 

 will be, or should be, one of the comer stones of this public opinion. 

 While the needs of conserving our forests and our wild life are 

 more generally obvious than the need of protecting some of our 

 vanishing wild-flowers, they are not more real. Every teacher 

 can take as a text the little bunches of spring blossoms, with their 

 little wilted faces pressed closely together, which favorite pupils 

 bring to their desks on May mornings, rivaling one another as to 

 who can gather the biggest bunch ; they can explain the character- 

 istics of the different kinds of flowers, because of which certain 

 kinds, like the arbutus, should never be picked at all, w^hile others 

 may be picked more freely; they can tell why some kinds of 

 flowers are never seen any more near large cities and are seen less 

 plentifully even in some country districts ; they can warn children 



