AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY eee 
for holding one longer or publishing it sooner. An 
article by one of the editors waited in typewritten form 
over a year before it appeared in a 1916 issue. Some 
articles, especially illustrated ones, for which the cost 
of illustration has been privately contributed, may get 
into the JouRNAL immediately. The mechanical task 
of ‘making’ up” a given supply of copy to fit a thirty-two 
page issue of the JouRNAL is such as to make it necessary 
at times to violate the sacred principle of priority. We do 
not wish, however, to discourage contributions of articles. 
We cannot have too many good ones, long or short. 
Regarding the financial phase of the Journau prob- 
lems, there are two ways in which we can increase the 
size of the JourNAL. First, by increasing the member- 
ship and list of subscribers, the Treasurer will come 
to have a surplus over and above the budget estimate 
of receipts, and this surplus may be awarded the Jour- 
NAL as was done with the last issue for 1916 when a 
forty page number was published. Second, the Treas- 
urer is ready to receive extra contributions specifically 
for the purpose of increasing the size of future numbers. 
From the same member who was quoted above comes 
this further suggestion: “If others feel as I do, perhaps 
we can put in enough to clean up a lot of the back work 
available for the Journau.” How many will be willing 
to share in the extra expense of i issuing a sixty-four page 
number? It is a question whether the extra pages will 
mean added value to you. Let the Editors know by a 
post-card if willing. 
the Treasurer’s report shows, contributions for 
illustrating purposes to the amount of $4.50 were re- 
ceived in 1916, for which the Editors hereby express 
their thanks. 
R. C. BENEDICT, 
E. J. Wrxstow, 
C. A. WEATHERBY, 
Editors. _ 
