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AKERS! CHAT SATURDAY, May 13, 1939.

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(For Broadcast Use Only)

CT: "JILD FLOWERS AYD WILD FLOWER GARDENS." Information from the Bureau of
enstry. UbeOAs

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The children of tomorrow-~your children and grandchildren and their children
randchildren may never see the wild flowers that you used to enjoy gathering
ae Spring when you were a child. In 25 or 50 years the fragrant spring

us may be gone, and the beautiful pink or yellow lady's slipper, and the

ato blue fringed gentian, and mayyanother lovely native flower. Many of our
Deavtiful native flowers are in serious danger of disappearing forever.

Of covrse, flower enthusiasts and garden clubs have realized this for years
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Mive Deen trying to do what they could to save the flowers. They have baciced

plaws against picking the rarer varicties. But these laws haven't been cnough
Sip much. In the first place, States have not provided for enforcing thon.
Mople know such laws exist and many would pay no attcntion to thom anyway.

mn the courts have hold that wild flowers arc the property of the omer of

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end. You can't prevont the owner from picking or digging or destroving his

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arty, as he pleasos,

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Anyway, the people who pick flowers are not the biggest cause of their
pearance, The greatest destruction has come about as the land has been
ed for homes and farms and factories. Forest fires and grazing are other
MSCS,

So only 2 ways are left to save our native wild flowers. One is to

18h wild flowor rofuges or preserves, as tho Government has done for forests

s ° l . Qa . | s
Pas and game, Tho othor is for murscrics and gardener to cultivate more

+2 - 5/13/39

flowers and use thom more in parks as woll as home gardens, The land which

ready been sct aside for National or State or community forests and parks

ave them for the citizens of the future. When some tract of land where these

Splanting should be done by someone who knows how.

You can't just dig up a plant and set it out in your dooryard and expect

| STOW. Plants that are used to shady woodlands won't live long in a sunny
Those which arc adapted to woll drained hillsides, say, or damp meadows, or
tain summits won't survive in conditions that are very different from these.
ghe character of the soil makes a great difference to thom. If your soil is
line or limoy and you sct out arbutus or mountain laurel, used to acid soil,
Won't have theso plants long. On the other hand, if you bring plants from

ine regions to soil which contains a good deal of tannic acid, these plants
Succecd. To make your wild flowers well and happy in a new home, you must
them where they have much tho same conditions as in their old home.

The safest time to move native trees and shrubs is when the flowering and
Ging »eriod is over...usually from late October to early March. But as the
age of many wild flowers ¢isappears soon after fruiting, you have to move them
2 you can see them, or mark thom with a stake for later moving. If vou expose
tots long to drying air ani heat, they are sure to dic. So take up plonty
rth along with the vlant. A ball of moist earth or wet moss helps keep them.
ace the transplanting as rapidly as possible. And be sure vou give them

re as you set them out.

#0. ere 5/13/39
If you want to grow acid-loving plants on your property, dig into the soil
onty of dead rotting oak leaves or the fallen needles from pine or hemlock or
uce trees. Or work in cottonseed meal which you can buy at any garden supply
re. You can also treat the soil with a small amount of aluminum sulphate.

s is very strong so use it cautiously or it may do the plants more harm than
a. You can keep the soil acid after planting by using more of these acid
Stances from time to time as top dressing.

On the other hand, if you are moving plants from alkaline or limey soil,
Piaxca lime or crushed limestone, if your soil is not alkaline enough.
Another point to consider is whether the soil is sandy or porous, heavy
Claylike, or full of leafmold or other rotted vegetable matter, Many of our
B native plants are very particular on such matters. They are also particular
4% the moisture in the soil. Generally, if your ground is high and dry, it's
jod idea to choose plants that like such situations. Or if it: is: Dew-and morsh,
isplant those that have been srowing in low moist lands,

The fame of many of our wild flowers has traveled around the world. For
than a century gardeners from other countries have taken back our wild

ers end given them an honored place in their gardens. Let's not lose these
tiful free gifts of nature which were here long before Columbus reached

@ shores.

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