The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-08-10
THE HOME.
WILD FLOWERS.

erS, and especially those OF early spring,
are gathered is constant source of dis
tress to those who really love them. One
who now finds a flower not actually COM
mon, scrupulously hides its birthplace.
But rare plants are not the only suffer
ers. Even so prolific a plant as the
Mayflower is now no longer found
in places where it once was common.
The rage of the average fower-gathere1
for quantities as large as hes can carry,
and his carelessness in gathering, have
brought this about. And now that the
practice of selling wild flowers in the
streets is becoming general, we may look
for still more rapid rate and wider ex-
tent of destruction.
Too often it is just those persons who
have some knowledge of plants and
think they love them especially well who
do the most damage in the woods. Ii
man does not know that the flower he
sees is rare, he may leave it where it
grows. But if he recognizes it's rarity
he is sure to pick it,
In picking were all, however, the dam
age would not be very great. But pick
ING often means tearing up a plant by the
roots; and too often, instead of merely
gathering the flower, an attempt is made
to transplant its roots, Nothing more
exasperates the plant-lover than this,
except in those rare cases when the
transplanter knows what he is about.
has a suitable spot prepared for his
specimen, and is certain to give 1T the
treatment and attention it requires.
Even then one may wish he had left it
in its home to propagate itself for the
benefit Of future plant-lovers. But how
trying it is when some, enthusiastic young
lady or curious boy digs up rare beauty,
puts it in garden-bed and then wonders
the next year why it does not come up. =
The true lover of flowers loves them best
when they are appropriately placed and
surrounded; and in the case of wild flow
ers this must usually mean when they
are in their own wild home. The desire
to own the specimen is more often proof
of mere covetousness than of admiration.
To all who go into the woods and
meadows after flowers and foliage this
advice may be given: Gather only as
many flowers as you really need to en-
bellish your homes, or as you will give
away, before they fade. to the poor OF
sick, which means, probably, not nearly
as many as you have been in the habit OF
gathering. If you want large masses for
any special purpose, as for the decora-
ton of church, take only those which
grow in great abundance, like the gold
en-rod in autumn or the white weed IN
spring. If an effective mass is your aim,
a thouand daises will serve as well as
would thousand white cypripediums,
if you could find theml Whatever you
take, take it gently and discreetly. Do
not cut off the branch of a tree when a
twig would do, nor wrench branch in
getting off twig. Use scissors or a
strong knife; not your hands. 1t you
must cut branch, cut it close to the
trunk, that decay may not fasten upon
the wound. and take the one which is
the least essential to the beauty of the
tree.
Ifyou want spray of a young pine
tree, for it's feathery green, or bit OF
spring-time ned maple, for its ruddy lit
tie leaves, or branch of liquidambar for
it's brilliant autumn coloring, do not pick
off the leading shoot-a lateral one will
be less missed. When you pick from a
small plant use scissors, instead of start
ing it's roots by a vigorous pull. If it is
a shrub, do not take all its blossoms,
but be content with a few, and complete
your bunch from another individual. If
it is an herbaceous plant leave some
flowers for seed, and if it is dubious
one spare leaves enough to insure the
bulbs ripening for another year. Never
dig root unless you are entirely certain
you know how to make good use of it
at home. And, unless the flowers are as
common as daises or golden-rod, do not
pick them at all if you mean to throw
them away the next minute. Gather
flowers to bring beauty into your homes,
but do not gather them for the mere
sake of gathering, for that is lawlessness
and waste.-Garden and Forest.
PICNIC LUNCHES.
Meats for sandwiches should be boiled
the day before; then after removing
bone, skin, and gristle they should be
put in packing tins, heavily weighted,
and set in cool place over night, writes
Mrs. A. G. Lewis in the July Ladies'
Home Journal. Cut in very thin slices.
Bread one day old is best, and very
sharp knife is needed for cutting it into
thin slices not over three inches square
These buttered slightly may be daintily
filed with ham, salad, sardines, tongue,
or whatever one likes.
Then cut pieces of confectioner's paper
lust large enough to cover the sand
wiches neatly. Place them side by side,
closely packed. and they will preserve
their shape without breaking. The pap
or is not to be removed until served.
Cakes must also be one day old, and
for picnic use little extra flour in STIR