I BEG to thank Mr. Perrycoste for his letter in NATURE of September 19. The county of Somerset has for some time had a by-law similar to that of the county of Cornwall; but you will observe that the by-law does not justify the protection of any particular plant, and that the special flora of Cheddar might easily disappear without any violation of its provisions. It only applies to the uprooting or destruction of plants “in such a manner and in such quantities as to damage or disfigure any road, ” &c., and it is further limited by the proviso which enables persons to collect specimens in small quantities for private and scientific use. I fear that the cases in which a prosecution under such a by-law would succeed are very few, and certainly the by-law falls far short of the realisation of the wish to protect a rare flora.