The West American Scientist. 
Vol. XIV. No. 7- 
THE WILD FLOWER PRESERVA- 
TION SOCIETY OF AMERICA. 
The increased interest in nature 
study developed within recent years, 
and stimulated by numerous illustrated 
bcoks of a popular nature, has untor- 
tunately endangered the existence of 
many ornamental wild plants that 
would otherwise have escaped public 
notice. The problem presented is how 
these depredations may be -checked 
without seriously restricting the free- 
dom or enjoyment of the nature-lover. 
Local societies having this aim in 
view have jpeen established in several 
places, and various articles on the sub- 
ject have appeared in magazines and 
newspapers; 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 
April 28, 1902, whiie it represents to a 
certain extent the growth of popular 
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- 
planation of the aims and objects of the 
Society: 
“Tt seems to me that all legitimate ef- 
fort that can be made for the conserva- 
July, 1903. 
Whole No. 126. 
tion of the native flora is naturally di- 
visible into two fields: First, the broad- 
er, higher plane of enlightened public 
sentiment regarding the protection of 
plants in general and, second, the 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 
we 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 fiowers and birds, leaves 
behind a memory that may be cher- 
ished fcr years. The ruthless breaking 
up of this rounded symmetry of nature, 
simply for the gratification of the mo- 
ment, leaves a void impossible to fill.” 
* * * * 
The proposed fields of labor of the So- 
ciety may be summarized as folllows: 
EDUCATION.—The primary and sec- 
ondary schools 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 
oz easily destroyed, and the introduced 
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- 
