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THE FERN FLORA OF NEW YORK.

The State of New York has the largest area of any northern State east of Michigan. It also possesses a great diversity of surface, with its two mountain ranges, its numerous lakes, its interior salt basin, and its seashore confined entirely to the southern extremity. On its eastern side it stretches through more than four degrees of north latitude, and as these are the degrees just south of the 45th parallel, it is easy to understand that there is liable to be a greater intermixture of northern and southern forms of ferns than there would be in a State lying farther south. And the fact is that certain species from the north and others from the south do meet within its borders. This also accounts for the large number of species found in the State: California and Texas, the one State having four times the area of New York, and the other five times that area, being the only ones which contain as large or a larger number of species.

For the purpose of fern classification, the State may be divided into four distinct zones, as follows:

The plan I have followed is to include along with the species only such varieties as seem to be most important and distinct.

Ophioglossaceae.

Osmundaceae.

Schizaeaceae.

Polypodiaceae.

Equisetaceae.

Isoetaceae.

Lycopodiaceae.

Salviniaceae.

Selaginellaceae.

SCOLOPENDRIUM FROM CANADA.

THE GENUS EQUISETUM IN NORTH AMERICA.

FIFTEENTH PAPER. Varieties of E. Hiemale.

Collected by Drummond at the Brazos river in Texas. It is very aberrant, but is placed here on account of its anatomy. I have not seen specimens of this.

The stems of this variety persist at least three years and probably longer. I have found but two causes of death, old age not appearing as a factor. Both are fungoid. After the stem has persisted for a time small white patches appear under the epidermis of the upper internode. These increase in number and the internode finally dies, not, however, till the second one shows the disease. This may continue till the whole stem succumbs. The other fungus is a smut that breaks out in small pustules, finally opening in black patches the size of the head of a pin or smaller. They are usually numerous and the stem dies rapidly.

The growth of the stem is indeterminate, but as each succeeding section is a little smaller than the one below, the time arrives in the history of each when no more can be pushed out and the growth ceases. The undeveloped internodes soon die and thus the stem, if it grows at all, must put its energy into branches, as the silex coating prevents its increase in diameter.

THE SPECIES-CONCEPTION AMONG THE TERNATE BOTRYCHIUMS.

Experiments with flowering plants have shown that the thickness of leaves and the amount of cutting of their edges, may be altered by different degrees of moisture, sunshine, etc., to which they are exposed, and we may infer as much for the ferns. This being so, it is not difficult to account for the slight variations in cutting exhibited in plants from widely separated points in the United States.

Botrychium ternatum obliquum . The common form in the North Atlantic States.

B. t. obliquum forma DISSECTUM . An exact duplicate of the preceding form in everything except the cutting of the pinnules. These latter characterized by a paucity of tissue between the terminal veins. Has the same habitat and range, and the same peculiarity of waiting until July or later before putting up its leaf for the season. No more entitled to specific rank than the "cut leaved" birch or elder.

B. t. obliquum forma COULTERI . A western form rather more fleshy than that of the East. Grows in geyser formations which may account for the difference in its appearance.

B. t. obliquum forma OCCIDENTALE . Closely related to the preceding, and, in my opinion, a phase of it. Both good representatives of the western form.

NEW FORMS OF FERNS.

The reference to seven-toed kittens and two-headed rabbits, as fair parallels to the finest fern varieties in the mind of the average student, is a poor compliment to the student who would certainly benefit by a better acquaintance with the plumose section of varieties at any rate. With the many botanists stated to exist in the States who "prefer a wild rose to all the gardeners' many-petalled creations" I have more sympathy, but here comes in the old botanical mistake embodied in the term "garden forms" of ferns as applied to all varieties, with the wild finds of which the gardeners have had nothing whatever to do. What would such a botanist do if in his rambles among the wild roses he came across a Marechal Niel as a wild sport? That is a fair parallel to some of our best wild finds as compared with the normal types, and he would be a singular man, I opine, in more senses than one, if he turned up his nose at it as a mere variant and held his tongue for ten years without describing it. I am gratified to the editor for holding all his abnormal specimens at my disposal, but, reading between the lines, I fear they would embrace no acquisitions from my point of view, or he would not be so ready to part with them. I hope sooner or later he will come across a thoroughbred and become thereby a convert to my theory, that constant and symmetrical variations are fully as much, if not more, entitled to both lay and scientific attention than the normal specific forms from which, by some occult process, they arise under natural conditions.

FERNS IN BOTTLES.

In a beautiful garden at Crouch End, belonging to one of the few old world bowers which have withstood the tempting offers of the building speculator, may be seen one of the queerest freaks that Nature has ever played in park or garden. About three years ago a long row of glass ginger bottles were placed neck downward in the ground, with a few inches of the other end projecting to form a border for the kitchen garden paths. Each of these bottles now contains a fairy-like resident in the shape of a dainty little fern, perfect in form and color, and of many varieties, the ribbon fern and hart's-tongue predominating. As no ferns had at any time been planted in that part of the garden it is amazing how they got there. Perhaps Nature thought it foolish to waste so many little natural hothouses, and put in each a pinch of the stuff she makes ferns of. If so, she must view with much pride the result of her experiment.

WILLIAM RALPH MAXON.

William Ralph Maxon, whose portrait is presented this month, first saw the light at Oneida, N.Y., on Feb. 27, 1877, where his parents reside. He graduated at Oneida High School in the class of 1894. From there he went to Syracuse University, where he took the degree of Ph. B. in 1898. The bent of his mind was toward botany and almost immediately after graduating he went to New York and was employed for a few months in the herbarium of the Botanical Garden at Bronx Park. From there he went to Washington and took a temporary position in the U.S. National Museum. But in August, 1899, as the result of a Civil Service examination, he received the appointment of Aid in Cryptogamic Botany in that institution, and still retains that position.

ANOTHER STATION FOR ASPLENIUM EBENEUM HORTONAE.

INDEX TO CURRENT LITERATURE RELATING TO FERNS.

Readers are requested to call our attention to any omissions from this list.

EDITORIAL.

The editor of this journal is again away from home, which will explain any delays in his correspondence. Letters intended for him and sent to the usual address will be forwarded at once.

In this number, all subscribers whose subscriptions are not paid in advance, will find a bill for the next volume, and the amount in arrears, if any. There are so few who stop their subscriptions after once becoming members of the Fern Bulletin circle of readers that to save all from the possible loss of a number between the expiration and renewal of subscription, we continue to send the magazine until ordered to stop. Those who do not wish to be considered subscribers for the new volume should notify us at once. In view of the liberal terms upon which the publication is sent, we trust that we may continue to count all our present subscribers among our readers for another year.

The recent likening, in this journal, of crested and tasseled fronds to two-headed rabbits has borne fruit in an unexpected quarter. Certain cultivators of ferns now speak of their stock as species, varieties and two-headed rabbit sorts!

Plans are being made for another meeting of fern students at St. Louis this winter, during the session of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. There is a prospect of some excellent papers to be presented, and a large and enthusiastic meeting is assured. Programs and other information may be obtained of Prof. N. L. T. Nelson, Central High School, St. Louis, Mo., or of the editor of The Fern Bulletin. The editor expects to be at the meeting and hopes to meet there the majority of his readers.

BOOK NEWS.

In the making of his "Flora of the Southeastern United States" Dr. Small has practically worked over anew all the species of that region and the results of this stupendous undertaking are now presented in a bulky octavo volume of nearly fourteen hundred pages. Dr. Chapman's flora of the same region is fairly conservative, while this one goes to the opposite extreme, being noticeable for the greatly increased number of species and an equal lack of what the older book is inclined to consider varieties or forms. This gives students a choice of books, but it is probable that a beginner will have much difficulty in identifying his plants by the aid of the new one, because of the many closely related forms described as separate species. The book will appeal more to advanced students specializing in a few orders or genera. The nomenclature is, of course, the most radical, even extending beyond the genera and species to the orders, so that new names are proposed for the Leguminosae, Labiatae, Scrophulariaceae and many others. Along with the segregation of species there has been a similar splitting of genera. To the individual familiar with the usual manuals the book will appear almost like the flora of a foreign land. The author, however, has been painstaking and conscientious throughout the work, adhering closely to the ideals prevalent at New York and a few other centers of botanical activity, and if he has produced a volume that will become the object of much criticism he has also produced an excellent illustration of what the recently proposed rules of nomenclature, and new conceptions of species are capable of when allowed full swing. Although not agreeing with his conclusions, even conservative botanists will appreciate the author's consistency and he is to be congratulated upon the completion of his work. To those who prefer the less elaborate manual, Dr. Small's book will always be indispensable for reference.

Mr. Charles T. Druery, well known on this side of the Atlantic as an enthusiastic cultivator of ferns, has issued a book devoted principally to British fern varieties, which he has named "The Book of British Ferns." In this work he has been assisted by various members of the British Pteridological Society, an association similar to our Fern Chapter, and of which Mr. Druery is president. As is well known the British fern hunter and fern cultivator is most interested in the abnormal forms of ferns, and as a result so many of these have been described that a complete list numbers more than a thousand, though there were less than seventy-five native species to begin with. Mr. Druery's task has been to select from this list the really meritorious varieties from the cultural standpoint. To this revised list he has added papers on the culture and propagation of ferns, fern hunting, fern crossing, apospory and kindred subjects, making a volume which should be of interest to American readers for the light thrown upon fern life. The book is well printed and well illustrated, the forms shown being mostly the more striking varieties.

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

For more than two years the editor of the Fern Bulletin has also been editing a journal for the plant-lover, called The American Botanist. That he has been fairly successful may be assumed from the fact that it now has the largest circulation of any botanical magazine in America. People do not buy such publications out of charity; they buy them for what they contain. No doubt the principal reason for the American Botanist's popularity is that it is untechnical--even those who are not botanists can understand it. Moreover it deals with a very different side of botany from that usually presented. If you are interested in plants as living things--their uses, habits, and curious methods of getting on in the world--this is just the publication you want. A large number of fern students are already readers of the American Botanist, but to induce others to become such, we offer the last three numbers for this year, all the numbers of 1904, for the regular subscription price of .00 if received before the first of January. Or we will send the first five volumes and a year's subscription, for .00. With the latter offer, your subscription to the Fern Bulletin will be renewed for 50 cents additional.

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