Norwich bulletin., 1922-05-20
WILD FLORA FOR TIE GARDEN.

EVkA4& \ A(k4NfA E Nt
 While much of the destruction of our native plants is inevitable, from the growth of cities and towns and the in crease of cultivated land, on the other hand in natural areas that exist in the vicinity of towns, or in more remote re- gions, the disappearance of plants is not due to changed conditions, but Is of an other kind and here it seems that some check may be put on their extermina- tion declared Dr. Robert T. Jackson of Petersboro, N. H., in a recent lecture. Plants are undoubtedly much reduced in number by the thoughtless picking of them in unreasonable quantities and too often by the quite unnecessary pulling up of the roots when the flower is really the only part desired. Too often the in- terest seems to be to see how many can be gathered. rather than picking a Hm- I4ited number for the pleasure of enjoy ing them The fact of rarity, or ex- oeptional beauty, may act as a spur to induce the person to collect all that can be found, whereas a few would give just as much satisfaction.
 Many flowers can be picked as free ly as anyone desires without danger of eradicating the species. Such flowers are violets, wild irises, roses, asters, golden rod. Of the rarer and less wig orous plants, especially orchids, one should urge moderation pick only few, cut with a knife, or scissors, instead of tearing them up, and pick away from the travelled path, so that those in the more conspicuous places may remain to give pleasure to others
 ''The commercial picking of wild flow CTS for sale in the streets. is one of the greatest menaces to our wild flowers in the vicinity of towns. This is especial ly true of the Mayflower. This beau tiful flower is. collected in enormous quan- titles for sale and is in real danger of local extermination if not protected.
 Here, unless legal protection can be at | tained, the best protection is to refrain from purchasing and thus render the business unprofitable. The extensive cut ting of mountain laurel for it's blossoms l in summer and especially for church
 and other decorations in winter is se- rious menace to the laurel occurring in
 readily accessible localities.
 "TO awaken an interest in and appre- citation of native plants is the best way
 of protecting them and nothing gives a greater interest than eultivating them
 in our gardens. To insure success cul-
 tivation should be undertaken with in- l telligence. Some native plants take ] kindly to cultivation, others are diff l fcult or almost impossible to grow and 1 their cultivation should only be under l taken by experts. In cultivating native
 plants there may be several points of view. One may want to make a botan- l ica1 collection of all the species ob- l tainable of a certain genus, or family
 or larger group 1; or one may cultivate l them with the idea of experiments in 1 hybridizing, or other study; or again one
 may cultivate them for the pleasure of
 seeing some of our loveliest wild things
 close at hand, where they can be readily
 seen and enjoyed. It is this last or hor- l tfeultural point of view that I would I especially consider.
 In asquiring native plants for culti- vation the idea of collecting them per 1 sonally should be urged. Then the con ditions under which they were growing 1 are known and can be initiated as fal as possible When they have been per
 sonaIly collected the plants Tn ones gar
 den have more individuality and are pleasant reminders of days spent in tn, woods or fields where the specimens wer'
 obtained. The roots of plants are usual ly collected but it is often much bet
 ter and safer to collect the seeds; es
 peciaHy is this true in plants which arr
 difficult to transplant
 ''In the open garden with good soi : but without any special preparation o
 the same many native plants wil thrive, such as asters golden rods, tn charming blue Phlox divancata and tn moss pink, or Phlox subula6a with it varieties: the yellow ,Oenotheras fruit
 cosa and missourilandica. The fine vel low Helenium auansis are quite a , home under ordinary garden conditions as are also the Western Aquitegia chry santha, and Cassia Maritumnale an
 Boltonia asteroides make great naasse of bloom in the autumn garden. Physo stegia virginiana prefers a moist plac but will grow well in dry soil; it spread so rapidly and is so difficult to eradi cate that while attractive it is most un desirable in a garden. The Southern Iri cristata with it's delicate blue flower : land also Southern Iris cuprea do wei | in light well-drained soil. while ou Northern blue Iris versicolor will gro7 in ordinary garden soil, but prefers i damp place.
 Many of our native shrubs of snnal Towering trees will grow successfully i { ordinary garden soil. Such are our com mon Rosa lucida and nitida the las ;; has not only beautiful pink flowers, bu has rich colored foliage in autumn. Ro
 sa setigera, a climber, has fine cluster } of pink flowers which are borne lat after most June roses are past. Gu ) western Pyrus coronari is one of tn l finest of the Towering apples, coming i bloom late and having flowers of yer 3 delicious fragrancG. The Cletra ain . foIla, elders and Viburnums all do we in our gardens. Of larger shrubs t small trees, the southern fringe Ire Chionanthus Virginica and the Soutf ern silver bell Halesia tetraptera ar l hardy here and are most beautiful orr |! amental smal trees. One native holl | Hex opaca can be grown but it is dl ; ficult to transplant. It should be move . . in spring and defoliated when tram | planting. Cornus Florida is one of or t loveliest small Towering trees. It dot
 not need special soil but likes 8 ratht , shady situation. Our native CrataegJ ' of several species are most desirable
 cultivate and it is best to add lime T the soil to insure best results.
 : "A number of native vines do well q the garden under ordinary soil cond d tions. Such are the Virginia creepe o bitter sweet Dutchnan's pipe, trump Q vine and wild clematis all too we r known to need more than mention. IT Q biennial fumitory Adlunlia cirrhosa is ' charming native vine that flowers i IS second year and prefers a rather moi U U shady location
 l. Amongst our common garden plan l ic tn eraf off acXf iva in