SPRING BUDS AND BLOOMS 71 



greatest care to take all their roots, quickly 

 wrapped or packed away to avoid distresses to 

 them; and we turn homeward in time to have 

 these visitors bedded before sundown into a better 

 place than that from which they came, if possible. 

 It has long been my pride that no one shall see 

 where I have thus lifted plants; for I thin out 

 only, and do not exterminate. 



Although most of these my wild plant friends 

 stay with me, and joyfully increase in Lovers' 

 Lane, I confess to a feeling of desecration as I 

 thus take from nature's garden. Yet I know that 

 I leave that garden no worse, and sometimes better; 

 for I return again, and see that the thinning-out 

 process has been beneficial. 



Last May I heard of a great showing of the 

 lovely wild Cypripedium acaule, or pink moccasin- 

 flower, in a valley some miles away. A friend's 

 automobile took me to the wonderful sight of 

 hundreds of these woods aristocrats in full flower. 

 It was a sad sight, too; for the forest that had 

 sheltered them had been cut off, and this was their 

 last brave blooming. The sun would soon bake 

 their tender roots, and another season only the 

 strongest would make a faint showing. So I dug 

 them liberally, carefully, and in sorrow; for I was 

 not, and am not, at all certain that they will live 



