24 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
increased growth and prosperity under the guidance 
of your new president and I feel sure he will receive 
the same cordial support that has been accorded me 
during my term of office. 
C. H. Bisseii, President. 
Report of the Secretary for 1916 
The Society has had a reasonably prosperous year, 
and one with its fair share of interesting events. Through 
the kindness of Dr. Grout, a field meeting (not so well 
attended as it should have been) was held in July at his 
cabin in Newfane, Vt.; and a winter meeting took place 
at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on December 29th. 
‘Both have been, or will be, reported elsewhere. 
With the codperation of a few others, notably Dr. 
Dowell, who made the critical determinations, Mr. 
Bigelow prepared and issued to members sets of the 
northeastern species of Dryopteris and their hybrids. 
Thirty-seven sets of from 15 to 17 sheets each were 
sent out; and they contained material of all but one of 
the possible hybrids of our six common species of the 
spinulosa group. So far as the Secretary is aware, 
this is the first time that so nearly complete a series of 
these puzzling plants, authentically determined, has 
been made available. 
Besides these sets, three species, Scolopendrium vulgare, 
Schizaea pusilla, and Lygodiwm palmatum, have been 
offered to members. Those who are able to get speci- 
mens of the rarer ferns in sufficient quantity should 
continue these offerings. 
Some years ago Prof. Hopkins, then Secretary, pointed 
out the possible usefulness of a Society library. Until 
the Society has permanent headquarters and much more 
money than at present, it cannot maintain a library of 
ony. size; but it can keep as complete a file as possible 
of its own official organs and publications at the disposal 
