New-York tribune., 1902-05-18
SAVE THE WILD FLOWERS.

Mr.. Hornaday's appeal to the public for the
| preservation Of the wild flowers in Bronx Park
is not a pleasant document. Or perhaps we
should say the occasion which called it forth Is
not pleasant. The occasion is indeed de-
cidedly unpleasant and discreditabe one. But
It is one which makes Mr.. Hornaday's appeal
fitting and necessary, and therefore to be wei
coined and earnestly commended to public and
official consideration.
Briefly stated, the case is this: that unless
the wholesale picking, pulling up and digging
up of wild flowers and ferns is stopped Bronx
Park will very soon be denuded of some Of its
fairest natural charms and will become as fiat
stale and unproftable' to the nature lover as
is. let us say, the major part of Central Park.
How great loss and injury that would be
may be estimated when remember how
exceptionally rich is the natural endowment of
Bronx Park. 1t would be difficult to find in
this part Of the world a spot more copiOusly
adorned with the most exquisite wildwood love
illness than is it. Yet what can all that wealth
of beauty avail against tens Of thousands of
visitors. each seemingly moved by the rule,
Wherever you see n flower pull it up At
present the Bronx woods are beautiful and
fragrant with violets anemones, hepaticaS.
geraniums spring beauties and the like. What
would we not give II the Central Park groves
and Ramble could he similarly adorned? And
what pains should we not be willing to take TO
save Bronx Park from the fate Of 1oweress
ness?
Mr.. Hornaday speaks Of Bronx Park only.
because he is directly interested therein. But
the same might be said Of Prospect Park. 1t
has long been the boast OF the latter that IL
contains Keep off the grass" and DO not
touch flower" signs. Yet it has particularly
siro Nd yu In u11.- Vlab
in wild flowers. II has been the rule for people
to be permitted TO pluck these latter within
reasonable bounds. But there, too. there are
painful symptoms OF the intolerable abuses OF
which Mr. Hornaday complains in Bronx Park.
During the last week or so the woods have been
all but stripped of violets. and boys have been
seen diligently plucking violets there in the
forenoon and selling the same flowers at five or
ten cents bunch In the New York City Hall
Park in the afternoon.
To such work 1t is high time to call a halt. II
persons strolling through the park woodlands
wish TO pluck few wild flowers it may be per
missible for them to do so-whatever we may
think OF their taste in preferring fading and
whiting flowers in the hand TO fresh and bloom
ing flowers on their native rootstocks. But II is
not permissible for peOple-as they do in Bronx
and Prospect parks-to gather flowers system
atically. by the basketful. as they would pick
blackberries. and to do rs n matter of bust
ness Neither is it permissible for them To pull
or dig the plants up roots and all 1t is pro
verbal that they have rights who dare main
tain them" 1t is equally true that they have
rights who are worthy of them. II rests with
visitors to the parks to prove that they are
worthy of the right to wander freely among the
wild flowers and through the woodlands. The
vandalism that is being wrought daily in two of
our loveliest parks indicates that there many
who are not worthy of such right. 1t would
be pity to abrogate or to abridge the right. Yet
in some way the vandalism must he stopped.