PROSPECTUS OF AR 



Important ^Vork on Ferns. 



ILLUSTRATIONS OP 



The Perns of North America. 



Text by Prof. Daniel C. Eaton, of Yale College. 

 Illustrations by Mr. Jas. H. Emerton. 



Published by 

 S. E. CASSINO, NATURALISTS' AGENCY. 



Salem, Mass. 



The need of a careftilly prepared, and thoroughly illustrated work on the AmericRn 

 Ferns, has long been felt by those studying these beautiful plants. As yet, no work 

 Whatever has made its appearance which contains even a description of all our Ameri- 

 can species, and the few that have been figured at all, are found scattered through so 

 many foreign works that it is quite impossible to find them, even in an excellent library . 



Prof. Eaton has for a long time had in contemplation the writing of a work which 

 ■hould possess all the requirements of a scientific student and at the same time be so pop- 

 ular, and so thoroughly illustrated that those unfamilar with botanical methods could be 

 able with perfect ease to determine any of our American Ferns. 



The great cost of preparing tlie plates, suitably drawn and colored, for illustrating a 

 work of such extent, has until now, debarred publishers from undertaking its publica- 

 tion. The undersigned has decided to undertake to publish the work, believing that he 

 will be sustained by the Botanists of America, and that his facilities lor properly bring- 

 ing the work before the scientific world are unsurpassed. 



The services of Mr. J. II. Emerton, so Avell known for his remarkably accurate, and 

 highly finished Natural History drawings, have been secured to illustrate the work. Mr. 

 Emerton's great experience as a botanical draughtsman, and liis knowledge of botany will 

 give assurance that the illustrations will not be excelled by any yet published and tha» 

 the work will be a fit companion to the "Wild Flowers of America," now publishing. 



Frof. Eaton's herbarium of Ferns is the largest in America and he is constantly in receipt 

 of additional plants from all parts of the country. He is therefore in a position to bet 

 ter conduct the work and furnish the necessary specimens for illustrations than any othei 



Eerson. Besides the labors of Prof. Eaton and Mr. Emerton, Dr. Gray of Cambridge, 

 as expressed an interest in the undertaking and kindly offered the use of the extensive 

 herbarium of the Botanical Gardens, for consultation. The Mass. Horticultural So- 

 ciety has also lYeoly offered the use of the Davenport herbarium of ferns. The publishers 

 will also have the assistance ofMr.J. Robinson, well known as a Fern specialist. Mr. Geo. 

 E. Davenport and Mr. Chas. E. Faxon, of Boston, Mrs. Cooper of Santa Barbara, Cal., 

 and others in various parts of the country, have kindlj' offered their assistance. 



Hon. J. Wanon Merrill, widely known as having the largest and most valuable collec- 

 tion of Americ;\n Ferns in cultivation, lias very liberally offered living specimens fi'om 

 any of his plants to be used in making the drawings and in coloring. 



The Work will be issued in large quarto parts, at intervals of about tvvo months, 

 which is as fast as the plates can be prepared. In the course of the publication of the 

 Work, every spe<"ies known to inhabit the U. S. will be figured. Each part will contain 

 three elegant 4to plates, colored by Chromo Lithography, giving exact representations 

 of from one to thrse species each. The paper on which the plates are printed will be the 

 best in the marke: . It will require about twenty parts to complete the work. 



The text will be- printed in large beautiful new type by the well known firm of Rand, 

 Avery & Co., on f upcr-ealendered paper, made exjjressly for the work. 



The Subscripticu price, will be $1.00 per part, which it is believed, is lower than any 

 work of tlie samp nature and quality yet published. 



Botanists, who desire to inspect the work before subscribing, will receive a sample 

 plate and text, bj mail upon application. 



For the bcncfli ^f any young botanists who do not feel able to purchase the Work, the 

 publisher offers opportunity to obtain a copy, by procuring a few subscribers in 

 their vicinity. j lady can easily obtain four subscribers for the Work among her 



firiendsand thus b<:cure a copy for nothing. 



AGENTS WANTED. 



