The Republican journal., 1922-06-01
A Plea for the Wild Flowers.

A WHO uOWeT eXnlLltlOI, WHICH was
held recently in the building of the Hor-
ticultural Society in Boston. attracted
thousands of people. The exhibit was
comprehensive and included every flower
which is native to New England; at the
same time no plant was shown which
could not be proved absolutely to be in
dlgenous to this section of the country.
Every attempt was made to show the
aOwers under an exact stimulation of nat
ua conditions, and the plan was admi-
nby carried out.
The average person who attended the
exhibition was impressed by two things:
the magnitude of the task involved in
Collecting and bringing these specimens
together, and the remarkable interest of
the people, as shown by the throngs
which crowded the hall. The significant
fact, however,-and | am afraid that it
escaped many-is that, in order to pre-
vent the determination of some of our
| rarer, more delicate flower, it has become
necessary to organize society for their
4 reservation.
The possibility of the extinction of sew
eral of our most beautiful wild flowers is
no imaginary danger. In Magnolia, Mas
uchusetts, the tree which gave tine
tavnNs name has practically disappear
cd from the over picking of its beautiful
flowers. The native laurel is becoming
more and more scarce. From our road
Il sides the fringed gentian is vanishing,
Il and in the swamps the scarlet spikes OF
the cardinal flower are seen less and less
frequently. Saddest of all, the trailing
arbutus, once SO common through the
whole of New England, is found now
only in those places farthest removed
from the centers of population.
Most of these flowers have become
scarce only recently. Children and
street vendors had depleted them near
the cities, but few pickers troubled the
plants which grew in the remoter coun-
Try districts. The coming of the auto.
mobile has changed those conditions.
Motorists of all classes and of all grades
OF science travel fa- afield, picking every
rare mower they see, wiping out whole
colonies of roadside flowers, and tearing
wnole beds of the delicate arbutus up by
tne roots. Such wholesale extermina-
oon can only have one end.
Ihe point has been reached where
measures must be taken to secure the
WIG flowers if they are 10 be enjoyed by
oe educated to the fact that there are
:ome flowers which may be picked SPAR
insly-not pulled up the roots-and 9TH
efs which should not be picked at ALL 1t
uncomfortable that the greater number
VI motorists, when informed of actual
conaitlons, will not use moderation in the
eaking of wayside flowers, and occasion
Hcomplete restraint in the case of such
idfe specimens as the arbutus. All chill
ulen should know the trailing arbutus,
snu the fringed gentian, and the cardinal
aoWer, but they should learn that these
uencate blooms are not Ic be picked, no
matter how pretty they look.
little unselfish restraint faithfully
mactlced by everyone will be sufficient
assure the preservation of many of our
pants We should learn that these OBJ
!ects OF beauty are to be enjoyed in their
uatVe haunts, not to be picked and
Mlown away as soon as they are wilted.
mast thou named all the birds without
gun2
Loved the wood rose and left it on its
stalk2"
would you have your children and
Sour grandchildren see the marvellous
ts tseauty and appreciate the fragrance of
sue Mayflower, or shall their only con-
t;sp,aoh OF 1t be picture in the imaRina-
~ Mons Save the flowers! A continuance
!" !, .ne present determination will result
~ sending some of our rarest and most
u;su I;autliul specimens down the same road
win the carrier pigeon and the buffalo.
VICTOR l. MERRIAM.