137 



almost twenty-five years with the title of " Resident Investigator." 

 Starting as editor-in-chief of the Journal, I have had as associate 



o 



in the work, Charles A. Weatherby of the Gray Herbarium for 

 twenty-six years, the last score of which he has been editor-in-chief. 

 Now, with his retirement, Dr. William R. Maxon, of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, is taking charge as editor-in-chief. 



The Fern Society is in many respects unique among botanical 

 organizations, with a membership which has included a wide di- 

 versity of callings and professions, such as a " royal highness " of 

 the Bonaparte line, doctors, engineers, lawyers, business men. flo- 

 rists, college football coaches, et cetera, in addition to professional 

 botanists. An editor of the Journal may be called upon to con- 

 tribute many services to Fern Society members besides the con- 

 ventional reading of manuscripts and proofs such, for example, as 

 the identification of specimens, the recommendation of references, 

 practical questions on garden problems and on fern spore culture. 

 One task of the editors is thus to make sure that the pages ol the 

 Journal comprise a variety of articles of interest and value to Fern 

 Society members. 



About fifteen years ago, a loan library was established at the 

 Brooklyn Botanic Garden to aid members who might be working 

 on some fern problem but without access to any botanical library. 

 Very greatly appreciated at that time was the action of the Botanic 

 Garden in making available for this purpose an extended list of 

 fern titles from its shelves which might also be borrowed by mem- 

 bers of the Society under specified restrictions. 



For over forty years the Society has maintained an herbarium 

 from which loans of specimens for study are obtainable by mem- 

 bers. Miss Hester Rusk, of the Garden staff, is the present Fern 

 Society Librarian. Within the past few months the Botanic Gar- 

 den has accepted also the custodianship of the Fern Society Her- 

 barium. The Agreement between the Garden and the Society con- 

 cerning the housing and administration begins on page 171 of this 

 Report. 



That these various editorial and allied activities have been well 

 conceived, the gradual but healthy growth of the Fern Society dur- 

 ing recent years is definite testimony. These associations with the 

 Botanic Garden and the fact that Dr. Svenson has for some years 



