46 
couraged, for the abundant success attained by these gardens, 
growth, and when once their interest is aroused half the battle 
for plant protection is won, at least so far as they are concerned. 
Ve may now turn our attention to ways and means calculated 
to produce immediate results. ‘Immediate”’ is the only word 
that can be used here, for in certain localities such as the prox- 
imity to large centers of population, watering places, summer re- 
sorts, etc., many plants are approaching dangerously near the 
point of being destroyed absolutely. 
As a first step toward this end, it seems to me that the public 
should be informed once and for all, that none of these plants 
that it is desirable to protect have any definite intrinsic value. 
They should be made to understand that the plants are simply a 
part of the definite setting of nature that it is important for 
esthetic or scientific reasons to maintain. The cupidity of the 
average human being is so great, that, if it were simply rumored 
that these plants could command a money price, their doom 
would be fixed. 
Wherever it is possible, signs should be erected containing 
warnings against the plucking of flowers or fruits or bright- 
colored leaves from shrubs and trees. Most residents of cities 
are already familiar with rules against mutilating plants in parks 
and along public streets, and similar warnings, if posted conspic- 
uously inthe more rural locations, will undoubtedly have a salu- 
tary effect. There should be no disposition to exclude the 
public from the enjoyment of the beauties of nature, so long as 
the rights of others are recognized. I havein mind a very large 
landed estate, which the public is invited to enjoy, the only condi- 
tion being that the plants and animals must not be disturbed. 
Whenever certain species of plants are becoming rare on ac- 
count of devastations by man, signs should be posted along con- 
spicuous routes requesting moderation in gathering, or even 
abstinence, on the part of the public. These should not be 
worded so as to direct the public to the exact spots where the 
plants may be found, but rather of a general nature, calculated 
simply to call attention to the fact of their rarity. 
