DOWELL: ON THE STUDY OF FERNS 57 
Such a specimen, if accompanied by full data regarding 
its place of growth, when collected, etc., will serve to aid 
the student in recalling and fixing in mind many points 
of interest that might otherwise be readily forgotten. 
When a fern is transplanted a part of the plant may 
usually be made into a herbarium specimen and thus a 
permanent record preserved. 
As for the name of the plant, that need not seriously 
_ worry the student, since the specimen may be designated — 
by a number, at least to begin with, and the name can be 
supplied when wanted. The scientific names, which to 
Ale outsider and to the beginner at first seem so long and 
- difficult, may become as easy and familiar as those of our 
friends. Bede, the main object is not to find the 
name of the plant, but to find out something about the 
plant itself, its conditions of growth, and its relationship 
to other plants. To name the plant is not systematic 
botany, as has been so often claimed by those who are 
afraid of these scientific names, and who consider it too 
troublesome to go afield or to bother with — 
herbarium specimens. But just why it would be mo 
difficult to remember and refer to Polypodium class ee 
_ than to number one thousand three hundred and twenty- 
: eight, or to Polypodium number seven hundred and fijty-_ 
seven, perhaps some one can tell us who advocates the eo : 
use of numbers instead of scientific names. — 
= ea 
