AMERICAN FERN Society 31 
The Journau is feeling, in some ways, the effect 
of war conditions. As noticed in the Editors’ report, 
the entire edition of the last number was temporarily 
lost by the express company, causing a delay of about 
two months in issuing it. Other numbers may also 
be behind time. The officers will do their best to 
keep the business of the Society going and up to date, 
and can only beg the members to be patient with delays 
and inconveniences which cannot be avoided. 
Through the kindness of Mr. Ware and Mr. Winslow, 
the Secretary has received a copy of the British Fern 
Gazette containing a notice of the late Mr. Charles 
f. Druery. The notice gives little biographical in- 
formation, but emphasizes the industry, carefulness 
and intelligence of his scientific work, culminating in 
his important observations on apospory; his wide knowl- 
edge of ferns and his enthusiastic interest and success 
NM growing them and perpetuating unusual forms. It 
‘alls attention, also, to a side of his nature less familiar 
to most of us—his love of fun, which found vent in 
“ountless quips and puns and in occasional humorous 
articles contributed to horticultural journals. These 
Were often over the pen names of ‘ Willyum Grubbins 
(reputed gardener and apostle of very phonetic spelling) 
me Prof. Ananias Waggles.”” It was the latter who 
Maintained that any flower could be doubled at will 
¥ the judicious application (to the horticulturist) of 
Sufficient quantities of “mountain dew”; and who 
discovered that though the female of a certain fossil 
Species of animal was entirely hairless, the male was 
quite 8enerally “ Hirsuter.”’ The former once express 
very pithily Mr. Druery’s own opinion on nomenelatorial 
Jestions: “Take your cue from Kew and stick to 
It.” Several of these humorous papers have nana 
. ®eted and published in a little volume entit 
The Tatur Disees and other Essays.” : 
