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corresponding 'loss of the others. It is easier to destroy plant life 

 than any other form of wild life. The result is that the so-called 

 " balance of nature " is seriously disturbed, and that all animals, 

 including the birds dependent for food upon the destroyed plants, 

 and the insects correlated with them, must also disappear — by 

 death or by retreat to regions still primeval. It would take too 

 much space to go into details, but I think that a very direct con- 

 nection can be traced between the diminishing wild flowers and 

 the scarcity of many desirable species of birds and animals, as 

 well as the unwelcome increase of undesirable forms of insects. 

 The destruction or wholesale gathering of wild flowers disturbs 

 the balance of nature and their place is taken by weeds. There 

 must follow a change in the insect and bird life, and in this read- 

 justment s'ome species of insects, animals and adventive plants 

 become pests, accomplish great damage, and cause the expenditure 

 of large sums of money for control measures. 



The automobile is a great factor in our modern life for pleas- 

 ure and for good, but it is also a great factor in the more rapid 

 destruction of wild flowers, by those thoughtless persons who 

 cannot be satisfied with seeing wild flowers at home in their in- 

 comparable surroundings, but needs must uproot, break down 

 and gather them by the armful. The only satisfaction to be 

 gained is a few brief hours of doubtful pleasure which the flowers 

 may yield from bowls and vases. They then go to join the de- 

 spised contents of the garbage can. Where they formerly grew in 

 the w^oods, their beauty will not delight the passerby again for 

 many years, perhaps never again in Ihat spot if the destruction 

 was sufficiently complete. By such methods have many of our 

 byways and woodlands, formerly so attractive with their wealth 

 of true Americans, become the abiding place of burdock, thistle, 

 m'ustard, ragweed, and numerous other obnoxious aliens. Even 

 more regrettable is the fact that the disturbance does not end with 

 the mere change of plant life. The insects, animals and bird life 

 also suffer a marked change, adding nothing to the attractiveness 

 of such byways and woodlands. 



Any effort toward the preservation of wild flowers is therefore 



