448 CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES 



ADDRESS ON 



THE PRESERVATION OF NATIVE FLORAS 



By Dr. A. B. Rendle, F.R.S., 

 President of the Conference. 



Is it important or worth while to preserve our flora ? What does the 

 native flora of a country imply ? It is the result of changes recurring 

 through successive periods of geological and climatic changes involving 

 depression and elevation of the land surface and alterations of distribution 

 of land and water and of climate. A natural flora is merely a stage in a 

 continuous progress ; only by our own limited ideas of time can it be 

 regarded as static ; for instance, sinking of the water-table will lead to the 

 extinction of marsh-loving species and in the long run change a mesophytic 

 into a dry country flora. A flora is a page in natural history and the 

 question is how far can or should we refrain from disturbing the natural 

 course of events which we cannot materially hinder. 



The flora of all settled countries bears the mark of the effect of the action 

 of man and his crops and herds, and their removal at the present time 

 would not restore the original flora. Too many disturbing factors have 

 been introduced. Is it worth while to preserve what remains of an existing 

 flora ? Otherwise what should we or posterity lose ? 



The question is of world-wide interest. May I refer to two examples 

 that have come under my own observation. 



A classic example which those who have read A. R. Wallace's Island Life, 

 still a standard work on geographical distribution, may recall, is found in 

 St. Helena, an isolated island in the South Atlantic. It is a typical example 

 of an ancient oceanic island, that is, one which has never been connected 

 with other land-surfaces, and, from its remoteness and antiquity, it should 

 afford a valuable object-lesson in the distribution of plants and animals. 

 When discovered, early in the sixteenth century, it was covered with 

 trees down to the edge of the cliffs and must have had, judging from what 

 remained sixty years ago, a remarkably rich and interesting fauna and flora. 

 Now the greater part of the island is rocky and barren. The Portuguese 

 introduced goats, the greatest enemies to trees as they destroy the older 

 ones and eat off the seedlings. Under the tenure of the East India 

 Company from 1651 onwards the forests were recklessly destroyed for 

 fuel or building. The natural protection of the soil on the steep slopes 

 being removed the tropical rains washed away the fertile surface to leave 

 a sterile clay marl or bare rock. In 18 10 the Governor reported, apropos 

 of the cost of importing fuel, the total destruction of the great forests. 

 But instead of adopting means for the preservation of what remained of 

 the natural flora large numbers of plants were imported from Europe, 

 America, Australia and South Africa, which continued the work of 

 destruction by successful competition with the native plants. 



J. C. Melliss, in his account of the island in 1875, gives a list of the 

 remaining animals and plants which is enough to indicate the great 



