No doubt many attempts were made to get a law against the picking and digging of wild plants, and it might well have begun with the efforts of Mrs. Bertha Rice when she called attention to the thoughtless manner in which the berries were being gathered. The last section of the book is devoted to the Toyon, and to her crusade, with many of the letters which she recieved in encouragement and support. Reproduced also were some newspaper comments favorable to her compaign - a few which suggested the growing of Toyon for its berries. During the 20s a law was past making it illegal to pick or dig wild plants without permission. The Toyon is propagated from seed which germinates readily when fresh.
Older seed requires three-months stratification.
Plants may be held in containers for the first year and then planted out in the second autumn. They will begin to flower and fruit after the third year. This popular shrub is drought resistant but will accept occasional water in summer with well-drained soil. In the wilds, Toyon is mostly a dense shrub, but tends to be rangy in wooded areas. It is quite amenable to pruning in winter, when berries are cut for seasonal decoration.