208 



AMERICAN l<'()RI^S^k^' 



how, some way, we must protect these lovable and de- 

 sirable plants from ourselves if those who follow us 

 in the world are to have the pleasure of knowing them. 

 Of the herbaceous wild flowers, concerning which the 

 nature lover needs to feel alarmed, the list might well 

 vary with the locality, but one can name many on which 

 all would agree, such as the arbutus, the fringed gen- 

 tian, pink mocassin flower, bloodroot, hepatica, colum- 

 bine and spring beauty. These are flowers, singularly 

 attractive to all and particularly susceptible to destruc- 



FRINGED GENTIAN (GENTIAN A CRINITA) IS PROPA- 

 GATED ONLY BY SEED AND THIS BLUE BEAUTY 

 SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND SAVED FROM RUTH- 

 LESS DESTRUCTION. 



tion of the plant by picking that is rough or reckless. The 

 fringed gentian, for instance, is an annual propagated 

 only by seed, growing only in favored localities and 

 blooming only for a few short weeks in each year. Sweep 

 a given locality clear of the blossoms just once and the 

 l)lant, thus deprived of seed production, fails so far as 

 that location is concerned forever more. It seems some- 

 times a.-, if the individual plant realized this. A handful 

 of gcniiaiis plucked and i)laced in water, will continue 

 their bloom and the effort to mature seeds long after 



ntany other .species would have withered and been thrown 

 away. 



Of the power of many annuals to survive excessive 

 picking we need have no fear. Asters, goldenrod, daisies. 

 buttercups seem to defy destruction. Flower lovers who 

 enjoy getting great armfuls in bloom may take their 

 pleasure with these without fear of unfortunate results, 

 but other rare and even more beautiful flowers like the 

 gentian must be protected or we will lose them forever. 



So much for the disease. The remedy must begin and 

 very likely will end in education. Law may help, but 

 without an enlightened and aroused public opinion behind 

 it law fails of enforcement and is useless or worse. Edu- 

 cation alone can provide the enlightenment. 



The Sanctuary movement for the preservation of wild- 

 life is now rooted and thriving in this country. The 

 concrete expression of the idea began with the desire to 

 save the birds. Bird sanctuaries established during the 

 last 20 years by the federal government alone now num- 

 ber seventy or more. Theodore Roosevelt, wise and effi- 

 cient in so many ways, was our great bird sanctuary 



Courtesy oi the Arnold Arboretum. 



DAISIES SPREADING A CARPET OF WHITE. VALUED 

 FOR THEIR EARLY WHITE IN SUMMER FIELDS, AND 

 THEIR CHEERY SUCCESSION OF VIGOROUS BLOOM. 



