BENEDICT: NEW VARIETIES OF NEPHROLEPIS 213 
4. Methods of study 
One method of study of the Boston fern problem is indicated 
by the above facts as almost obligatory, viz., frequent visits to 
florists’ establishments for purposes of observation. During the 
last two years I have visited nearly all the leading fern growers 
in the eastern states. Visits have been made to the greenhouses 
of the growers in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Penn- 
sylvania, and Ohio, who have produced practically all the new 
forms of Nephrolepis raised east of the Mississippi. These visits 
are being continued, and arrangements have been made for 
experimental work through the codperation of some of the growers. 
A second method of study has been connected with the as- 
sembling of a living collection of all obtainable varieties of these 
ferns at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. These collections now 
number at least seventy-five varieties, nearly all obtained directly 
from their original producers, and orders are now in the hands of 
English and French growers for foreign varieties which will raise 
the total number to over one hundred. Requests have also been 
sent to a number of stations in the tropics for the collection of 
wild forms with a view to obtain a good representation of both 
horticultural and natural forms. 
Still a third method which is really a combination of the other 
two has consisted in the introduction to florists all over the 
country of varieties with which they were not familiar. A large 
number of small plants have been sent out in this way. The 
benefit to the investigation will come in connection with future 
visits when a much larger number of varieties will be available for 
observation. A considerable number of new forms have also been 
obtained in this way by exchange. j 
It will be noted that there is little opportunity for the experi- 
mental production of new progressive variations in connection with 
the Botanic Garden collection. Not enough plants can be grown. 
In the florists’ establishments, the number of plants may be large 
enough but it is not always possible to control all conditions or to 
find sufficient time for regular and thorough observation. 
The greatest difficulty which inheres in the study of the known 
forms of these ferns is connected with the possible inaccuracy of 
the growers. For the facts as to the origin and parentage of each 
