by Ernest Thompson Seton
Standing at the place selected for the planting, while the others sit in a circle about it, the planter holds the seeds or roots in one hand, a trowel or spade in the other, and says
"There is nothing more beautiful than flowers. We love them even more than birds because they do not fly away when we come near to enjoy their beauty."
"Flowers give joy in the woods, in the hand, on the table and in the sick room, and because evil forces are at work to rob us of our wild flowers I shall do my share to save them, that those who come after me may find the same pleasure that the flowers have always given me."
(He plants the flower seed.)
"Thus I plant this seed (or root) as I mean to plant many more, in a place that I believe will make it grow. I shall guard and water it when need be and I ask all good wood folk to spare it when it blooms; to take the flower maybe, but leave the plant and the root, for these are not ours but the heritage of our children."
"How I wish you could talk when you come, little unborn bloom, so you could tell me what you need to make you prosper, but you are silent as you are frail and I can but use my wits to help you, for I love you and I set these sticks around to guard you and to mark the place."
( Puts in circle of pegs or stakes.)
"Though you are but an earth-born child, I like to remember the little poem that tells how some of you came from the sky."
(This paragraph and the poem may be omitted.)
The Meadow she was sorry
For her sister Sky, you see,
For, though her robe of blue was bright,
'Twas plain as it could be.
And so she sent a skylark up
To trim the Sky robe right,
With daisies from the Meadow
(You can see them best at night).
And every scrap of blue cut out
To make those daisies set
Come tumbling down upon the grass
And grew a violet.
"Now good-bye, little unborn flower. I leave you, but I shall come again from time to time, and eagerly watch for your coming."
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