34 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
as it was then called. ‘Early in 1893, Mr. Willard N. 
Clute, Mr. J. A. Graves, Mrs. A. D. Dean and Mrs. T. 
D. Dershimer, all lovers of ferns, but not at that time 
skilled students of them, conceived the idea of starting 
a chapter of the Agassiz Association for the scientific 
study of ferns by correspondence. The charter was 
held open during the summer of 1893, and by autumn 
there were nineteen members with which number the 
Chapter started. At first there was no published Bul- 
letin to disseminate the knowledge gained, but written 
notes were circulated by mail among the members. This 
plan, however, was not found to be very satisfactory 
and in July, 1893, the first number of an exceedingly 
modest little pamphlet was published, bearing the in- 
scription; “The Linnean Fern Bulletin, No. 1. Pub- 
lished by the Linnean Fern Chapter. Price Five Cents. 
Binghampton, N. Y., 1893.” 
The Bulletin was edited throughout the twenty years 
of its existence by Mr. W. N. Clute, the first president 
and the leading spirit among the founders of the Society. 
It grew to be a noteworthy publication, and its period- 
ical appearances were landmarks in the history of the 
Society during many years. 
e fifth number of the Bulletin contained the con- 
stitution of the Chapter. That the makers of this con- 
stitution did not foresee the world wide expansion to 
which their organization was destined is evident from the 
following section. “ Art. III, See. 3—Applications for 
membership must be made to the Seeretary, who shall 
‘ 
give notice to all members in good standing of such ap- . 
plication and request a vote thereon. Two adverse bal- 
lots shall exclude.” 
Among the contributors to the early numbers of the 
Bulletin were, besides the four foundersabove mentioned, 
C. E. Waters, C. F. Saunders, A. J. Grout and others 
whose names are familiar to many of us. The number 
