406 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



that any plants, animals, or objects of interest are in danger?" Such 

 societies can arrange lectures, distribute literature, or fix the places for 

 notice-boards ; but a central organisation is desirable to provide the 

 lecturers, leaflets, and notices, and, if necessary, to act on reports received, 

 so as to co-ordinate efforts — even, if needful, to secure legislation. In 

 our own country I feel confident that I may say, on behalf of the Council 

 of the Selborne Society, that, mindful of Gilbert White's interest in plant 

 as well as in animal life, they willingly bind themselves to do all in their 

 power to so stimulate and combine national effort, and place their organ, 

 "Nature Notes," at the disposal of such a movement. 



While, however, regard for the rights of others is being preached, some 

 species are in immediate danger of extermination. Here, then, the pro- 

 tection of the existing law, or of some fresh legislation, is necessary. As 

 it stands at present, the law in this country is wholly inadequate to 

 protect wild plants. It is necessary to prove damage to fences, to the 

 land, or to cultivated crops ; wild plants, such as ferns, flowers, blackberries, 

 or uncultivated mushrooms, not being in themselves protected. In 

 Devonshire the energetic United Devon Association has roused the 

 county to a sense of the danger to its pockets by the simple argument 

 that the well-being of the county depends upon tourists, tourists come 

 to see the natural beauties of the county, and, therefore, with the 

 destruction of these beauties the prosperity of every hotel or town is 

 imperilled. The hearty co-operation of the magistracy and of the police 

 has there been secured, and there have been several convictions of Fern- 

 collectors in cases where damage to the ground by making holes in it could 

 be proved. The existing law, however, appearing to the Devon County 

 Council to be inadequate, they, in 1902, addressed the Home Secretary 

 with a view to the preparation of a bye-law on the subject. In his reply 

 the Home Secretary stated : " If it is confined to cases where serious 

 damage and disfigurement is caused to public highways, &c, there may 

 not be much difficulty, from the legal point of view, in framing the bye-law ; 

 but the Secretary of State would not be willing to allow a bye-law which 

 would be likely to injure unsuspecting poor people residing in the district, 

 or lead to the punishment of young children. Possibly, however, the 

 bye-law could be restricted in its operations so as not to involve any 

 danger of this, e.g. by confining it to particular places to be indicated by 

 notices. If, however, it is proposed that the bye-law should only apply to 

 rare Ferns or plants, the difficulties in framing it are likely to be greater. 

 In any event, a bye-law which would prevent any person from taking one 

 or two common Ferns or plants from the road-side for his own use would, 

 in the opinion of the Secretary of State, be inadmissible." Acting on 

 these suggestions, in March of this year the County Council, on the 

 motion of the well-known botanist, Mr. Hiern, of Barnstaple, submitted a 

 bye-law in the following form : u No person above the age of 14 years 

 within the Administrative County of Devon, not being part of any muni- 

 cipal Borough, shall without lawful Authority wilfully uproot, destroy, 

 or mutilate any Fern or other wild plant, provided that this Bye-law 

 shall not apply to persons merely collecting specimens for private or 

 scientific use, and not for sale or profit, and in small quantities, and not 

 tending to extirpate any rare or interesting species. No person above the 



