﻿September, 
  1907 
  

  

  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  343 
  

  

  The 
  Wild 
  Garden 
  

  

  A 
  Plea 
  for 
  Our 
  Native 
  Plants 
  

  

  By 
  Eben 
  E. 
  Rexford 
  

  

  JANY 
  persons 
  are 
  under 
  the 
  impression 
  that 
  

   we 
  have 
  few, 
  if 
  any, 
  native 
  flowering 
  plants 
  

   and 
  shrubs 
  that 
  are 
  worthy 
  of 
  cultivation. 
  

   They 
  have 
  been 
  accustomed 
  to 
  look 
  upon 
  

   them 
  as 
  "weeds," 
  or 
  "wild 
  things," 
  for- 
  

   getting 
  that 
  all 
  plants 
  are 
  "weeds" 
  and 
  

   "wild 
  things" 
  somewhere, 
  and 
  so 
  unfamiliar 
  

   are 
  they 
  with 
  them 
  that 
  they 
  fail 
  to 
  recognize 
  them 
  when 
  

   they 
  meet 
  w 
  r 
  ith 
  them 
  outside 
  their 
  native 
  haunts. 
  Some 
  years 
  

   ago 
  I 
  transplanted 
  a 
  golden 
  rod 
  from 
  a 
  fence-corner 
  of 
  the 
  

   pasture, 
  and 
  gave 
  it 
  a 
  place 
  in 
  the 
  garden. 
  There 
  it 
  grew 
  

   luxuriantly, 
  and 
  soon 
  became 
  a 
  great 
  plant 
  that 
  sent 
  up 
  scores 
  

   of 
  stalks 
  each 
  season 
  as 
  high 
  as 
  a 
  man's 
  head, 
  each 
  one 
  

   crowned 
  with 
  a 
  plume 
  of 
  brilliant 
  yellow 
  flowers 
  that 
  lighted 
  

   up 
  the 
  corner 
  of 
  the 
  garden 
  where 
  it 
  grew 
  like 
  a 
  bonfire. 
  

   One 
  day 
  an 
  old 
  neighbor 
  came 
  along 
  and 
  leaned 
  over 
  the 
  

   fence 
  to 
  chat 
  with 
  me 
  as 
  I 
  worked 
  among 
  my 
  plants. 
  

  

  "That's 
  a 
  beauty," 
  he 
  said, 
  looking 
  at 
  the 
  golden 
  rod. 
  

   'T 
  don't 
  know's 
  I 
  ever 
  saw 
  anything 
  like 
  it 
  before. 
  I 
  reckon, 
  

   now, 
  you 
  paid 
  considerable 
  money 
  for 
  that 
  plant." 
  

   "How 
  much 
  do 
  you 
  think 
  it 
  cost 
  me?" 
  I 
  asked. 
  

   "Oh, 
  I 
  don't 
  know," 
  he 
  replied, 
  looking 
  at 
  the 
  plant 
  admir- 
  

   ingly, 
  and 
  then 
  at 
  some 
  of 
  foreign 
  origin 
  near 
  by. 
  The 
  price 
  

   of 
  these 
  he 
  knew 
  something 
  about, 
  for 
  he 
  had 
  one 
  of 
  them 
  

   growing 
  in 
  his 
  own 
  garden. 
  He 
  seemed 
  to 
  be 
  making 
  a 
  

   mental 
  calculation, 
  based 
  on 
  the 
  relative 
  beauty 
  of 
  the 
  plants, 
  

   and 
  presently 
  he 
  said: 
  "I 
  wouldn't 
  wonder 
  if 
  you 
  paid 
  as 
  

   much 
  as 
  three 
  dollars 
  for 
  it. 
  How 
  near 
  have 
  I 
  come 
  to 
  it?" 
  

   "That 
  plant 
  cost 
  me 
  nothing 
  but 
  the 
  labor 
  of 
  bringing 
  it 
  

   from 
  the 
  pasture," 
  I 
  answered. 
  "Don't 
  you 
  know 
  what 
  it 
  

   is? 
  There's 
  any 
  quantity 
  back 
  of 
  your 
  barn, 
  I 
  notice." 
  

  

  "You 
  don't 
  mean 
  to 
  say 
  that's 
  yellow-weed?" 
  exclaimed 
  

   the 
  old 
  gentleman 
  with 
  a 
  disgusted 
  look 
  on 
  his 
  face. 
  "I 
  

   wouldn't 
  have 
  it 
  round 
  my 
  yard. 
  We've 
  got 
  weeds 
  enough 
  

   without 
  settin' 
  'em 
  out." 
  He 
  went 
  away 
  with 
  a 
  look 
  on 
  his 
  

   face 
  that 
  made 
  me 
  think 
  he 
  felt 
  as 
  if 
  he 
  had 
  been 
  imposed 
  on. 
  

   While 
  it 
  is 
  true, 
  in 
  many 
  instances, 
  that 
  "familiarity 
  breeds 
  

   contempt," 
  it 
  is 
  equally 
  true 
  that 
  familiarity 
  without 
  prejudice 
  

   would 
  open 
  our 
  eyes 
  to 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  beauty 
  exists 
  all 
  about 
  

   us 
  — 
  in 
  the 
  lanes, 
  the 
  fields, 
  and 
  the 
  forests. 
  We 
  are 
  not 
  

   aware 
  of 
  the 
  prevalence 
  of 
  it 
  until 
  we 
  go 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  it. 
  If 
  

   we 
  go 
  out 
  with 
  "the 
  seeing 
  eye," 
  we 
  find 
  it 
  everywhere. 
  

   Nothing 
  is 
  so 
  plentiful, 
  or 
  so 
  cheap, 
  as 
  beauty, 
  to 
  the 
  lover 
  

   of 
  the 
  beautiful. 
  It 
  may 
  be 
  had 
  for 
  the 
  taking. 
  We 
  have 
  

   fallen 
  into 
  the 
  habit 
  of 
  looking 
  to 
  foreign 
  lands 
  for 
  plants 
  

   with 
  which 
  to 
  beautify 
  our 
  grounds, 
  thus 
  neglecting 
  and 
  

   ignoring 
  the 
  beauty 
  at 
  our 
  own 
  doors. 
  A 
  shrub 
  with 
  a 
  long 
  

   name 
  and 
  a 
  good 
  big 
  price 
  attached 
  will 
  win 
  our 
  admiration, 
  

   while 
  a 
  more 
  beautiful 
  native 
  one 
  is 
  wholly 
  overlooked. 
  This 
  

   ought 
  not 
  to 
  be 
  so. 
  "Home 
  first, 
  the 
  world 
  afterward," 
  is 
  

   the 
  motto 
  of 
  many 
  patriotic 
  men 
  and 
  women, 
  and 
  it 
  ought 
  

   to 
  be 
  the 
  motto 
  of 
  the 
  lover 
  of 
  the 
  beautiful 
  in 
  plant-life, 
  

   when 
  he 
  is 
  seeking 
  for 
  something 
  with 
  which 
  to 
  ornament 
  the 
  

   home 
  grounds. 
  

  

  Many 
  persons 
  have, 
  however, 
  become 
  inerested 
  in 
  our 
  

   native 
  plants, 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  apparent 
  that 
  the 
  interest 
  of 
  the 
  masses 
  

   in 
  whatever 
  is 
  beautiful 
  is 
  steadily 
  increasing. 
  It 
  is 
  an 
  indi- 
  

   cation 
  of 
  education 
  along 
  a 
  line 
  where 
  next 
  to 
  nothing 
  has 
  

   been 
  done 
  when 
  we 
  see 
  that 
  the 
  taste 
  of 
  the 
  amateur 
  is 
  be- 
  

   coming 
  keen 
  enough 
  to 
  appreciate 
  native 
  beauty 
  to 
  such 
  an 
  

   extent 
  that 
  a 
  demand 
  has 
  sprung 
  up 
  for 
  shrubs 
  and 
  plants 
  of 
  

  

  American 
  origin. 
  They 
  are 
  beginning 
  to 
  sell, 
  the 
  dealers 
  

   tell 
  us, 
  and 
  the 
  fact 
  that 
  the 
  florist 
  finds 
  there 
  is 
  money 
  in 
  

   growing 
  native 
  plants 
  for 
  the 
  market 
  is 
  a 
  most 
  encouraging 
  

   sign. 
  Appreciation 
  of 
  true 
  beauty 
  is 
  putting 
  a 
  value 
  into 
  

   things 
  which 
  have 
  heretofore 
  had 
  no 
  idea 
  of 
  value 
  connected 
  

   with 
  them. 
  

  

  But 
  the 
  dominant 
  idea 
  I 
  have 
  in 
  mind 
  in 
  writing 
  this 
  article 
  

   is 
  to 
  enlist 
  the 
  boys 
  and 
  girls 
  in 
  the 
  work 
  of 
  making 
  a 
  col- 
  

   lection 
  of 
  native 
  plants. 
  I 
  want 
  them 
  to 
  make 
  what 
  we 
  call 
  

   a 
  "wild 
  garden"; 
  in 
  other 
  words, 
  a 
  garden 
  composed 
  wholly 
  

   of 
  American 
  plants, 
  gathered 
  from 
  the 
  field 
  and 
  forest. 
  

  

  Such 
  a 
  garden 
  can 
  be 
  of 
  great 
  educational 
  value, 
  and, 
  at 
  the 
  

   same 
  time, 
  ornamental. 
  It 
  can 
  be 
  made 
  to 
  assist 
  in 
  the 
  de- 
  

   velopment 
  of 
  patriotic 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  esthetic 
  ideas. 
  It 
  can 
  be 
  

   made 
  to 
  stimulate 
  a 
  healthy 
  rivalry 
  among 
  the 
  children 
  as 
  

   to 
  who 
  shall 
  have 
  the 
  most 
  complete 
  collection 
  of 
  native 
  

   plants. 
  In 
  the 
  care 
  and 
  culture 
  of 
  these 
  plants 
  they 
  will 
  gain 
  

   a 
  skill 
  and 
  knowledge 
  that 
  may 
  be 
  of 
  much 
  benefit 
  to 
  them 
  in 
  

   the 
  future, 
  and 
  possibly 
  to 
  the 
  world. 
  Who 
  knows? 
  — 
  we 
  

   may 
  have 
  among 
  us 
  a 
  young 
  Linnaeus, 
  or 
  a 
  Humboldt, 
  and 
  

   the 
  making 
  of 
  a 
  wild 
  garden 
  may 
  tend 
  to 
  the 
  discovery 
  and 
  

   the 
  development 
  of 
  a 
  talent 
  which 
  coming 
  years 
  may 
  make 
  

   us 
  proud 
  to 
  do 
  honor 
  to 
  the 
  possessor 
  of. 
  

  

  I 
  would 
  suggest 
  the 
  formation 
  of 
  a 
  wild 
  garden 
  society 
  

   in 
  each 
  village 
  or 
  neighborhood. 
  Organize 
  little 
  expeditions 
  

   into 
  the 
  surrounding 
  country 
  in 
  search 
  of 
  shrubs 
  and 
  plants. 
  

   Take 
  with 
  you 
  a 
  good-sized 
  basket 
  and 
  something 
  to 
  dig 
  

   your 
  plants 
  with, 
  when 
  found 
  — 
  and 
  your 
  dinner. 
  Every 
  such 
  

   excursion 
  can 
  be 
  made 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  picnic, 
  and 
  I 
  venture 
  the 
  

   prediction 
  that 
  your 
  first 
  trip 
  to 
  the 
  woods 
  will 
  not 
  be 
  your 
  

   last 
  one, 
  by 
  any 
  means. 
  

  

  The 
  search 
  for 
  plants 
  must 
  be 
  begun 
  early 
  in 
  the 
  season 
  

   if 
  they 
  are 
  to 
  be 
  transplanted 
  in 
  spring, 
  for 
  it 
  would 
  not 
  be 
  

   sale 
  to 
  attempt 
  their 
  removal 
  after 
  they 
  have 
  begun 
  to 
  make 
  

   active 
  growth. 
  April 
  is 
  a 
  good 
  time 
  to 
  look 
  up 
  your 
  plants, 
  

   and 
  May 
  a 
  good 
  time 
  to 
  bring 
  them 
  home. 
  Later 
  on, 
  if 
  you 
  

   come 
  across 
  a 
  plant 
  that 
  seems 
  desirable, 
  mark 
  the 
  place 
  

   where 
  it 
  grows 
  so 
  that 
  it 
  can 
  be 
  readily 
  found, 
  and 
  transplant 
  

   it 
  to 
  the 
  home 
  grounds 
  in 
  fall, 
  after 
  its 
  leaves 
  have 
  fallen. 
  

  

  In 
  transplanting 
  shrubs 
  and 
  herbaceous 
  plants, 
  study 
  care- 
  

   fully 
  the 
  conditions 
  under 
  which 
  they 
  have 
  grown, 
  and 
  aim 
  

   to 
  make 
  the 
  conditions 
  under 
  which 
  they 
  are 
  to 
  grow 
  as 
  sim- 
  

   ilar 
  to 
  the 
  original 
  ones 
  as 
  possible. 
  Of 
  course 
  you 
  will 
  be 
  

   able 
  to 
  do 
  this 
  only 
  approximately, 
  in 
  most 
  instances, 
  but 
  

   come 
  as 
  near 
  it 
  as 
  you 
  can, 
  for 
  much 
  of 
  your 
  success 
  depends 
  

   on 
  it. 
  You 
  can 
  give 
  the 
  plants 
  a 
  soil 
  similar 
  to 
  that 
  in 
  which 
  

   they 
  were 
  found 
  growing, 
  and 
  generally, 
  by 
  a 
  little 
  fore- 
  

   thought 
  and 
  some 
  planning, 
  you 
  can 
  arrange 
  for 
  exposure 
  to 
  

   sunshine, 
  or 
  a 
  shaded 
  location 
  suited 
  to 
  the 
  requirement 
  of 
  

   the 
  plants. 
  Very 
  often 
  it 
  is 
  possible 
  to 
  so 
  locate 
  them 
  that 
  

   moisture-loving 
  plants 
  can 
  have 
  a 
  damp 
  soil 
  by 
  planting 
  them 
  

   in 
  low 
  places 
  or 
  hollows 
  where 
  water 
  stands 
  for 
  some 
  time 
  

   after 
  a 
  rain, 
  while 
  those 
  which 
  prefer 
  dry 
  soils 
  can 
  be 
  given 
  

   places 
  on 
  knolls 
  and 
  stony 
  places 
  from 
  which 
  moisture 
  drains 
  

   off 
  rapidly. 
  In 
  order 
  to 
  do 
  this 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  work 
  well, 
  you 
  

   will 
  find 
  it 
  necessary 
  to 
  study 
  your 
  plants 
  well 
  before 
  remov- 
  

   ing 
  them 
  from 
  their 
  home 
  in 
  the 
  woods 
  and 
  fields. 
  Aim 
  to 
  

   make 
  the 
  change 
  as 
  easy 
  as 
  possible 
  for 
  them. 
  This 
  can 
  be 
  

   done 
  only 
  by 
  imitating 
  natural 
  conditions, 
  or 
  the 
  conditions 
  

   under 
  which 
  they 
  have 
  been 
  growing 
  up 
  to 
  the 
  time 
  when 
  you 
  

   undertake 
  their 
  domestication. 
  

  

  {Concluded 
  on 
  Page 
  360) 
  

  

  