43 
these depredations may be checked 
without seriously restricting the free- 
dom or enjoyment of the nature-lover. 
Locan societies having this aim in 
view have been established in several 
places, and various articles on the sub- 
ject have appeared in magazines and 
mewspapers; these are all usefull fac- 
tors in arousing a healthy public senti- 
ment against indiscriminate and 
thoughtless flower-picking. But it is 
evident that the successful prosecu- 
tion of a campaign of this kind re- 
quires a central body which shall direct 
and inspire the work; and it also re- 
quires some official medium of publi- 
cation. The organization of a national 
society along these lines, effected on 
Apri! 23, 1902, while it represents to a 
certain extent the growth of pspuiar 
sentiment, is the direct result of the re- 
marks jby Dr. F. H. Knowlton in his 
essay, “Suggestions for the Preserva- 
tion of Our Native Plants,’ which was 
awarded the first prize in the recent 
competition held by the New York Bo- 
tanical Garden with the income of the 
Caroline and Olivia Phelps-Stokes 
fund. A few paragraphs from the es- 
say itself will serve as a partial ex- 
p-anation of the aims and cbjects of the 
Society: ¢ 
“It seems to me that all legitimate ef- 
fort that can be made for the conserva- 
tion of the native flora is naturally di- 
visible into two fie’us: First, ihe broad- 
er, higher plane of enlightened public 
sentiment rege:ding the protection of 
plants in general and, second, tae im- 
mediate steps that must be. taken to 
save certain of the) more showy or in- 
teresting forms now threatened with 
extermination, The first is something 
Wwe may reasonably hope for, even if it 
comes slowly; the second is a practical 
question that must be solved quickly or 
it will be too late. * * * The public 
must be educated up to the point when 
it will be possible for them to enjoy 
the flowers and plants of field and for- 
est without destroying them. They 
must be led to see that it is only’ self- 
ishness which prompts the indiscrim- 
inate plucking of every bright-colored 
flower or shapely fern that attracts 
their eye. A walk afield, enlivened by 
the presence of flowers and birds, leaves 
behind a memory that may be cher- 
ished for years. The ruthless breaking 
The West American Scientist. 
44 
up of this rounded symmetry of nature, 
smply for the gratification of the mom- 
ment, leaves a void impossible to fill.” 
The proposed fie ds of labor of the So- 
ciety may be summarized as folllows: 
EDUCATION.—The primary and sec- 
ondary schcols afford abundant oppor- 
tunity for missionary work. Let every 
teacher aim to impress on the pupils 
under his charge the beauty and value 
of plant life. Let him give some in- 
struction in the differences between 
native species, many of which are rare 
or easily destroyed, and the intraduced 
weeds, most of which are so sturdy 
and abundant that they will survive 
wholesale plucking. 
MORAL SUASION.—Public  senti- 
ment can be influenced to a large ex- 
tent by articles in newspapers and 
magazines, if the subject-matter is 
well presented. The establishment of 
a press bureau by the Society is ex- 
pected to facilitate this work. 
PUBLIC PARIXS.—Many cities have 
set apart for public use and enjoyment 
various tracts of land distinguished for 
the beauty of their scenery or vegeta- 
tion. This is one of the most effective 
means of preserving plants from de- 
struction, and local chapters will be 
formed to work on this line. 
LWGISLATION.—In some few in- 
stances it may be advisable to invoke 
such legislation as protects the Hart- 
ford fe:n n Connecticut. ih s, however, 
is a last rescrt, and should only be em- 
ployed in emergencies where all other 
measures for protection have tailed. 
COMPULSORY ONION EATING. 
Onion-eating people are said to be 
immune from smallpox attacks. It is 
suggested that the grange associations 
of each state shall petition the legisla- 
tures to pass laws making onion-eating 
compulsory. The advantages over 
vaccination are several:—we have nev- 
er seen it asserted by a physician that 
onion-eaters were not immune; no de- 
tails from onion eaters have ever been 
reported; the increased consumption of 
onions will greatly benefit the agri- 
cultural classes and add to the longevi- 
ty of the nations; and only the super- 
fastidious people (the very rich, who 
are immune from the laws anyway), 
