The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1912-08-06
BITS BOTANICAL.
Will hughes Urges His Class TO Keep
Alive Their Interest in Plant
Study.

the many pleasures experienced
in my recent visit to my native
town, not the least let me say,
was that of acting as your lead
er in a series of excursions to
nearby fields and woodlands in
quest of wild flowers. much
regret that the preliminary talk
! gave you, prior to our trips,
was notbefore a large blackboard,
on which | might have placed, at
least, the more salient points; for
| do not forget that that which is
merely heard may die in one
short hour; while that which
strikes the eye lives long upon
the mind. This well known fact
was brought out in the remark
of a member of the class who de-
clared, on one occasion, when an
interesting, but singular new fact
was presented, that she would
like to visualize" it-an d
visualize it she did. Now that is
just what Nature Study, and
especially Botany, does; it sharp
ems amazingly both the physical
and the mental eye, creating and
quickening the power of correct
seeing. We are not mere CUES
sers at truth, but real perceivers
thereof. What we did was done
on right lines-you have nothing
to unlearn from it; the regret is
that there was not more time at
our disposal to make the impress
sion deeper, and hence more last
ing-but that will come to you in
your further pursuit of the sub
ject-for you certainly do not
mean to abandon it at its very
beginning. Let every day open
wider to you the gate of this in
teresting and useful field of
knowledge. My pleasure was
heightened when | found you
willing to learn from the humble
wayside weed" socalled, All
plants in their natural habitats
appeal to the botanist, who well
knows that many of the cultivat-
ed forms, despite their comeli-
ness, are simply plant monstrosi-
ties s--departures--from the typical
his is the strictly wild garden,
where none are weeds, but all
true and beauteous flowers; the
study of which throughout the
ages has given to us the wonder
full science of Botany. Let me
here commend to you an article
by Dolly Wayne in the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger of July 9th,
on THE pleasure of knowing the
Wild Flowers. Get it, follow
its suggestions, and you will
sooner or later come to under
stand the meaning of her final
paragraph, You are surrounded
by a rich wild garden; be not
content with only slight ac-
quaintance with it-procure the
proper books and visit it often.
Go in groups-help one another.
Get one or more of the popular
treatises on the Wild Flowers;
but get also, "Gray's Manual of
Botany" 7th Edition. The poi
ular manuals will help you to
know many, while Gray's will
enable you to know ALL of the
wild plants in your region. We
learned a few there are many
more new ones appearing right
along all worthy of being known
and loved. While all was so
pleasant in our little journeys, |
feel a keen regret that we did
not take one in the first three
meadows below town; for there
| saw plants of a different sort
from those we gathered; plant
promises, also, for next Spring,
to delight you after being snow
bound for several months. Soon
the Golden rods and Asters, and
a mighty multitude of others of
the great family Composite will
appear these you should not ne
glect-I am sure you will feel
it your privilege to ramble
amongst them often. And, re-
member that; if you find a plant
that puzzles you, send me a spec
linen of it and | will try to name