BY THE WAYSIDE 
91 
: 
ferns for decorative purposes. We ask 
only that they be picked with care and 
discrimination. Such a dower, for ex¬ 
ample, as the blue-bell should always be 
.cut with the scissors or a knife, rather 
than picked, to prevent its being up¬ 
rooted 1 ; and even when cut, care should 
be taken to gather it only where it grows 
most abundantly, that no picturesque 'tuft 
be so completely done away with as to 
set no seeds for another year. Where 
there is an especially fine plant or colony, 
or where there is a single plant or a 
small colony, why not leave at least half 
the flowers for seed, in the one case giv¬ 
ing nature a chance to perpetuate and de¬ 
velop the best, and in the other helping 
| nature to extend her work of beautifying 
L 
our surroundings? 
The pink lady’s-slipper, or moccasin- 
flower, 'the purple fringed orchid, the 
jcalopogon, pogonia, and indeed all the 
; 
jrchids, should be cut (not picked) fairly 
ugh up the stem, leaving, whenever pos- 
Vble, the lower leaves intact. 
If these flowers are not to be extermi¬ 
nated, they should not be gathered at all 
fin less found growing very abundantly, 
find then only in moderation. Such 
i ragile blossoms are more effective if 
iot heavily massed, but arranged a few 
! prays by themselves. 
From the purchase of the rarer flow- 
rs, especially of the purple fringed or- 
hid, sabbatia, fringed gentians, or may- 
ower, we urge every one to abstain, 
hildren sometimes offer them for sale, 
| mocently enough, but those who buv, 
| nd so induce the gathering and selling, 
j re the most dangerous enemies of all 
lire salable flowers, 
i The bunch-1 Derry is another plant which 
i less abundant now than it was a few 
cars ago, owing, we fear, to careless up- 
Doting, and stands in need of protection. 
Ferns, also, should be picked with care, 
and not too freely, unless in spots, where 
they are unusually abundant. The same 
caution should be used against breaking 
branches from shrubs and trees in so 
rude a fashion as not only to cause a 
temporary disfigurement, but perhaps a 
permanent injury. The hobble-bush, 
whose effective leaves and brilliant ber¬ 
ries decorate gaily the woods of late 
summer, is frequently a victim to careless 
picking. 
The flowers growing in the immediate 
neighborhood of the roadside are a joy 
to the many. Is it too much to ask that 
these be left to delight the eyes of the 
passer-by, and that the flowers desired 
for decorative purposes be sought a few 
feet from the highway or even from the 
trail? These roadside plants are con¬ 
stantly enjoyed by those who by reason 
of age or some infirmity could othewise 
never see them. Were this once realized, 
few would hesitate to take the trouble 
entailed by half a dozen extra steps. 
Many of the most effective flowers 
may be gathered, away from the wayside, 
without fear of doing any permanent in¬ 
jury. Daisies, buttercups, clover, wild 
roses, meadow-sweet, steeple-bush, as¬ 
ters, golden-rod, and other vigorous and 
abundantly growing plants will yield 
ample material for decoration, and may 
be gathered almost with impunity. 
To sum up we urge: 
1st. Moderation. (Not gathering too 
many flowers of the same kind in one 
locality.) 
J / 
2d. Care. (The use of scissors or 
knife.) 
3d. Judgment. (Guarding the road¬ 
side and conspicuous locations. 
4th. Occasional total abstinence. (In 
case of especially rare flowers.) 
For more leaflets apply to 
Miss M. E. Carter, 
Boston Society of Natural Hsitory. 
