MonoMorPuisM IN EouiserumM TELMATEIA 93 
50,000,000 ferns are gathered annually. These have a 
local value of something over $20,000. . . A good 
picker will gather 10,000 to 12,000 ferns dey? It is 
stated: “Over 50 carloads of ferns have been sent this 
season from Bennington County to refrigerator head- 
quarters in Pittsfield, Mass. Two carloads are sent 
from Bennington village each day.” Mr. Winslow was 
not prepared to say whether the collecting of the fronds 
of ferns would seriously injure the plants, if it was done 
in the latter part of summer, and if proper care was 
used for separating the fronds from the crown; and 
asks that some Vermont reader in position to observe 
the methods and conditions under which this industry 
is being carried on report to the JouRNAL. 
This review of the available evidence seems to show 
that the ferns which are used commercially are bearing 
up well under the strain of annual pickings. This is 
indeed encouraging, both from the point of view of 
the fern-lover and that of the industry. But it may 
be partly due to the abundance of the species in ques- 
tion and to the chance that the same plant may not 
lose all its fronds every year, even with pretty thorough 
picking. It is to be hoped that some one with the 
opportunity to do so will take kindly to Mr. Winslow’s 
Suggestion and make accurate observations of the real 
effect of commercial picking. 
Hupson Fauts, N. Y. 
MONOMORPHISM IN EQuiseTUM TELMATEIA EHRH.— 
This typically dimorphic species, which is the most 
abundant representative of the genus in Western Ore- 
gon, occasionally shows a tendency toward. mono- 
morphism, possibly indicating a reversion to a primi- 
tive type in which fertile spikes were borne on branching 
green stems. Ordinarily the pale-brown unbranched 
