members exhibited at a meeting a case of insects with line
after line of the same species. Although beautifully set
and arranged, this display raised my indignation. May I
remind you that it was largely through my instigation,
backed up by the then President and my friend Tom Bartrop,
that the Field Club took the initial steps to approach
other county organisations which led to the foundation of
the county Naturalists' Trust in Essex, I think I may
claim to have long been interested in conservation, and am
proud that I have been allowed to see rare - very rare -
plants in their natural localities because I would not
disclose the whereabouts of the species. In fact, some of
the rarer plants of Epping Forest are known only to myself,
although some Club members have tried hard to discover
their exact station. My training in conservation was
affected by a question I put to a past President of the
Club, who was an eminent naturalist, as to why the Club
had not undertaken a new county flora. The President was
aware that I had learned of many localities for Essex
rarities, and asked if I wished to see these rarities
disappear. It was many years before I understood the full
import of that reply. In my view, many of the county
trusts do not understand and appreciate the need to keep
much of such information to oneself. The first essential
of conservation is secrecy. Many will disagree with me,
but I have had many examples drawn to my notice where an
uncommon plant, or insect, or other species, has become
rare and even extinct in one or other locality, simply
because so many persons know of its existence there.
Q. What advice would you give to a youngster who would
like to take up botany as a career?
A. Botany as a career! Can one really do so? Apart from
a handful of persons at Kew or elsewhere, and who were
probably trained initially for some other purpose, I wonder
if one can find a career in pure botany, The subject is an
essential of a host of other careers, farming, forestry,
horticulture, teaching and many others, The local
pharmacist has to pass an examination in botany, as do many
occupations or professions. As the subject for a career,
my advice would be 'Do not'.
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