AHMUAL ADDRESS. 
"Permanency in the Growth of Plants." 
By the President— Miss Ida M. Roper, F.L.S. 
TO-NIGHT you have been good enough to elect me to be 
your President for the third year in succession, and I 
thank you for the honour you have done me by your decision, 
and for the kind support which I have constantly received from 
each individual member. The Society has continued unosten- 
tatiously to take part and stimulate the general interest in Natural 
History, in much the same way as in the past. 
The Annual Summer Excursion was held in the grounds of 
Ashton Court, and this visit is of more interest now, because 
Lady Smyth, the owner of the beautiful gardens and the museum 
adjoining, has been taken from our midst during the last two 
months. Although not a member of this Society she and her 
husband had great interest in Natural History, as shown by what 
they have done for the city at the Bristol Museum. 
In the autumn, when the effects of the terrible War called away 
the help of so many of the members from scientific pursuits, 
it was still possible to give to Mr. Raymond Priestley a hearty 
welcome on the occasion of his visit to his old University. He 
came, as you remember, from his military duties to tell us about 
his exciting adventures on the Antarctic continent, and w r e were 
glad to show him by our presence, that we extended our interests 
as far as that distant region. 
To-night it may be better to come back to more local districts, 
and although the War will obtrude even into the pursuits of the 
Naturalist, it may be possible to consider one aspect that will not 
be disturbing. The methods of modern warfare have made it 
necessary to dig trenches, and to form camps for troops around 
much of our coast-line, which is always the favourite hunting 
ground for the student of Natural History. That some injury 
will be done to many of the plants and insects flourishing in such 
places is certain, but if we examine what has happened to the 
native flora over a long period in the past it will be found that 
Nature has endowed her children with such a permanency of 
growth that no fear need be felt that our happy hunting grounds 
w r ill suffer for any length of time from this present disturbance. 
As evidence of this belief I should like, therefore, to call your 
attention to-night to some facts, which may bring out more clearly 
this " Permanency in the growth of plants." 
In wandering about England and giving a thought to Nature in 
the different spots visited, we are accustomed to recognise that 
certain plants are likely to be found under similar conditions. 
These similarities may be due to the soil being of the same 
formation, such as limestone, granite, etc., or to the presence 
of moorlands, sheltered sunny slopes, or what not; or it may be 
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