602 
MR. F. LONG ON PROTECTION OF WILD PLANTS. 
I. 
PROTECTION OF WILD PLANTS. 
By F. Long, L.R.C.P., President, N. & N. Nat. Soc. 
Read 26t.h May, 190S. 
About the end of last April our Honorary Secretary received 
a communication from Mr. C. Callaway, the president of the 
Cotteswold Naturalists’ Club, relative to a subject which is of 
great interest to every naturalist, viz. : the preservation and 
protection of wild plants. 
An association for this purpose already exists in Devonshire, 
and is the first one of its kind, and from the account given in 
the Report to which I shall have occasion to refer, seems to be 
in active operation. 
A movement is now on foot in Gloucestershire for the purpose 
of forming a similar association, and the Cotteswold Naturalists’ 
Field Club was asked to give their advice and approval. 
A committee of the Club was appointed which thoroughly 
investigated all the facts and heard the various opinions of 
different people interested in the matter. Mr. Druce of 
Oxford was consulted, and one member of the committee 
went into Devonshire to ascertain everything as far as he 
could about the working of the association. The result was 
that a report of the committee was drawn up which the Club 
adopted, and passed resolutions based upon it. 
At present the law is very inadequate to put down the pilfer- 
ing and taking of wild plants, and so long as a man does not 
do damage to the land, fences, &c., to the value of sixpence, 
he cannot be prosecuted. 
Lord Avebury is interesting himself in the matter and 
Mr. Druce has had one or two interviews with him, and the 
latter thinks that the framers of any Bill would have their 
hands much strengthened if they received resolutions passed by 
