THE BRYOLQ GIST 



Vol.. III. October, 1900. No. 4. 



The success of The Bryologist and of the Sullivant Moss 

 Chapter has been very largely due to the untiring efforts of Mrs. 

 Smith. It is to be hoped that the members of the Chapter will 

 remember this when they vote. It is needless to say that this is 

 inserted without consulting Mrs. Smith. 



"*" 

 Beginning with the January number, The Bryologist will 



contain sixteen pages. At least two pages will be devoted to the 



Lichens, under the editorship of Mrs. Carolyn W. Harris. Mrs. 



Harris is well qualified for this work, and we assure our readers 



that there is a rare treat in store for them. Some space will also 



be devoted to the Hepatics, as circumstances warrant. 



Keep watch of the different mosses in your locality and record 

 the date of the first appearance of the sporophyte and the date of 

 maturing spores. Be sure to collect specimens to verify your ob- 

 servations. This kind of work can be done by anybody who is 

 willing to take a little pains in observing, and it is work of great 

 scientific value when collected and correlated. Altogether too 

 little work of this kind has been done in the past in any depart- 

 ment of botany. There is a regular procession of mosses, as it 

 were. Beginning in early spring one can collect mosses in mature 

 fruit all the year round. Different .species of the same genus 

 mature spores at different seasons, and in this way afford as good 

 a means of identifying the species as any structural characters. 



"*" 

 To stimulate work of this sort, the Editor offers as a prize a 

 century of North American Musci Pleurocarpi and a year's sub- 

 scription to The Bryologist to that subscriber of this journal who 

 shall send him the dates of appearance of sporophyte and of ma- 

 turing spores of the largest list of mosses. The dates can be given 

 as the first, second, third, or fourth week of the month, or the 

 exact day of collecting can be given. The list must be accom- 

 panied by a specimen of species listed, collected on the date given 

 by the person submitting the list. Date of maturing spores will 

 count two points, date of appearance of sporophyte one point. 

 Spores are supposed to be mature when the lid readily separates 

 from the dry capsule. Observations previous to date may be 

 counted if a specimen has been preserved. Specimens should be 

 fully labeled. Contest closes December i, iqoi. 



