44 



endowed with these spines. The thorns or prickles serve as pro- 

 tective armor for preserving the plants from extermination." 

 The more one studies these thorny plants on their " native 

 heath," however, the less inclined he is to attribute the presence 

 of thorns and spines to the attacks of herbivorous mammals. It 

 is a singular fact that the great tree-ferns of the Tropics are 

 heavily armed with thorns, while the herbaceous species, which 

 would be most likely to be eaten by browsing animals, are entirely 

 unarmed. 



Plant Protection. — Mr. Frank A. Suter, Lancaster, Pa., 

 writes that the destruction of Dillerville Swamp, which is bound 

 ?oon to occur, will result in the eradication of several interesting 

 plants from the vicinity of Lancaster. Among these are the 

 golden club (Orouticum aquaticum), fringed gentian, ladies' 

 tresses, purple gerardia and Smilicina stellata. Mr. Suter asks 

 how this flora can be preserved. He as well as many others will 

 doubtless be interested in the Society for the Protection of Native 

 Plants recently organized in Boston whose mission seems to be 

 the answering of just such questions. This society intends to 

 publish brief articles and leaflets pointing out what plants es- 

 pecially need protection and how they may be protected. Miss 

 Maria E. Carter, Boston Society of Natural History, Berkeley 

 Street, Boston, may be addressed for further information and 

 leaflets. W e shall be glad to assist the movement and offer space 

 in our columns for notes upon the subject. 



Nature Study and the Child. — It is a fault with much 

 of our nature study writing for children that we make too much 

 of what we term the natural order in the development of plant 

 and animal life. The idea is relatively so new, even to the oldest 

 of us, it has appealed to us with such force, that we attempt to 

 load down the child with it, and set him to dragging a chain in his 

 walks afield. We prepare our text-books in the most orderly 

 manner, and with a gravity which, under the circumstances, is 

 half comical, beginning with man, perhaps, and going back 



