1^6 Thf Irish A^aiiiralisf. August, 



hidustrial — Suiokc. — Not only for sanitary purposes, and the 

 preservation of buildings, and aesthetic reasons, but for the 

 preservation of vegetation in and near towns, regulations as 

 to the smoke nuisance should be drawn up and enforced. 

 The foundation of an endowed research for the invention of a 

 smoke accumulator or utilizer is necessary. 



Bnildifig optraliojis, dfc. — Some restriction as to the ruthless 

 devastation of districts b}' building operations should be made 

 and worked on the lines of the National Trust in connection 

 with the preservation o'l National Monuments (under which 

 demolition of old buildings conies). The efifect of minor 

 causes ^.^., action of steam rollers, &c., pollution of waters, 

 road scraping, &c., could be minimised b}' enlisting the 

 sympathies (and securiiig the action) of urban and town 

 councils who are in turn responsible to the State. 



Recreative ; ConiDiercial ; Injudicious Collecting. — The 

 botanist appointed to watch cases of extinction from agri- 

 cultural activities w^ould likewise have under his charge 

 cases coming under this heading, either where golf or other 

 forms of sport threatened the welfare of rare plants. 



As to the hawker and collector, only summary methods are 

 likely to be efficacious, and for this purpose, a Wild Flowers 

 Protection Act (which shoitld be extended to ferns and other 

 cryptogams) as suggested by Professor Boulger and supported 

 by Lord Avebury, is required. Offenders against this Act 

 would be brought to book also by the official county botanist. 



The author is convinced that measures similar to the 

 above are essential, in order to avert a condition of things 

 which must arise in the near future if steps are not taken. 

 Such a climax when found out too late, will readily call forth 

 the necessary remedial action. Only by the accumulation of 

 a vast number of instances of extinction, causes and effects, 

 in which inquiry a biological problem, that of the struggle for 

 existence of plants, is simultaneously being pursued, can we 

 hope for parliamentary action to follow the publication of the 

 full results of this investigation, so that the co-operation of 

 all botanists is asked in the completion of this report. 

 Especial thanks are due to all those who have already assisted 

 the author in this matter, detailed acknowledgment for which 

 will be given elsewhere. 



Ivcicester Museum. 



