SEED SOWING 229 



that our beloved Wild Flowers of the Eastern 

 States are like those of Japan. I have a book of 

 Japanese prints of flowers which might be used to 

 illustrate an American botany. The migration of 

 Shortia from Japan to one little patch in our Al- 

 leghanies would be thrilling to peruse. The story 

 of its discovery by JSIicheaux, its loss for a century, 

 and its rediscovery are told most entertainingly by 

 Miss Lounsberry in "Southern Wild Flowers and 

 Trees." 



Courageously and through long ages, and in 

 spite of many vicissitudes, our lovely Wild Flowers 

 have survived, and I wish to sav a word in their 

 defence before I lay down my pen. 



When a new book on botany appears it is apt 

 to send an army of so-called "flower-lovers" charg- 

 ing down, uprooting, and exterminating our choic- 

 est and rarest specimens. Let me vehemently ex- 

 press the hope that no such ravages will follow 

 the unveiling of the "Mysteries of the Flowers." 

 Europeans reproach the Americans with a want of 

 the sense of proportion, and what can we say in 

 our defence? We have laid waste our rarest in- 

 heritance. We have netted nearly every trout, 

 shot most of our game and many song-birds as 

 well, skinned nearly every beaver, otter and seal, 

 exterminated the buffalo, and now we gather our 



