New-York tribune., 1921-05-30
The Mature Spoilers
Vandalism in Parks and Woodlands
Wild Flowers Disappearing


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The platnt of Blackburn Miller
in The Tribune of May % regarding
vandalism in the parks and open spaces
in and near New York finds an echo in
my heart. Cannot something be done
to stop the destruction of our native
trees and shrubs?
I find my greatest happiness IN the
open. [ have not the opportunity to
live away from the city, SO spend as
much time as possible in the parks and
the green country" Constantly am
irritated and incensed by the manner
in which the ruthless ones, young and
old, treat these beauty spots.
A few weeks ago only my prompt
remonstrance saved an unusually lovely
branch Of dogwood blossoms UP on the
little hilly park above the Harlem River
and just below the Hall of Fame. Two
young women were in the act of break
ing off a limb holding the fovery
bractS. A few moments before pho-
tographer in pursuit of nature studies
for newspaper "roto" had taken =
closeup of that particular tree becsuss
it was SO perfect specimen. I called
to the vandals, explained that they
were in public park and should pro-
tect the trees and were liable to arrest
if they did not They went on, but
later sent small boy further up the
hill to tear off branches Ny compsn-
ion and yelled at him and he ran away
without them. He probably returned
later.
You find vandalism everywhere. On
the aqueduct walk in the Bronx, in the
lovely Bronx forest itself, up on the
Bolton Road and other out-of-thevay
places where the wild flowers thriys
parties of picnickers are TO be seen
every Sunday and holiday, their hands
full of wilted flowers. In one nosegay
on recent Sunday I saw lady's-slip-
per, perfect specimen of the orchid
family, which IS doomed to extinction
if the marauders are allowed to go
their selfish way.
Policemen are too few and often
times too lenient when they do catch the
vandals, especially if the latter hap
pen to be children. Probably no city
in the world has such attractive en-
virons as New York. Despite subway
construction, gas tanks, blasting and
the carelessness of citizens and visit
ors, the wonders of the flower world
continue to grow and spread Their
loveliness. Are they to become extinct
Why not start campaign such as
is carried on by the Princeton Public
Library by exhibiting specimens q
wild flowers, showing what happens
when they are careIessly carried OIL
urging children TO cooperate in pre-
serving them? Why not engage the IN
terest Of the Boy Scouts, who are
taught to get the hest out of the woods
without spelling any of natare's treas
ures? a society msde uo Of private
citizens with az ho.-ly to arrest ma
rauders would put stop to the plum
der Of our parks and woodlands.
In Chicago there is Wild Flower
Preservation Society that has been
potent factor in preserving the fora O
that region; also society which calls
itself The Friends of Our Native Lane
scape, which makes study Of the fioTs
and has helped to save the dunes ana
other wild and beautiful places from
destruction. There must be mang
nature lovers who would work whole.
heartedly TO instruct and preserve. I
for one would do "nly bit" eagerly.
A. L. F.
New York, May 2s. 1921.