18 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
merely one case of a sort which has occurred often. 
Probably half or more of the illustrations for any given 
year have been paid for by extra subscription. 
As the President points out on another page, we are 
now in the position almost of asking any contributor of 
an article calling for an illustration to pay for this. We 
do not wish to discourage any writer from, contributing 
articles, illustrations, and cash, but we feel that this 
load should not fall only on those who write for us. 
We feel that there are members who enjoy the JouRNAL 
although they do not write any articles for it. We ask 
such members to help us make the Journau better by 
contributing toward an illustrating fund in any amount. 
The sky is the limit. We will use all that is sent. It 
may be noted that the editors have in the past made 
their contributions regularly. 
If this appeal seems like the kind of exhortation some- 
times necessary at the close of the year in churches, 
please remember that it merely represents the ambition 
of the editors to make the Journat increasingly better. 
We expect to do this gradually by increasing the mem- 
bership and the consequent dues, but until such increase 
has become a fact some substitute method is required. 
The subscription list is now open. 
R. C. BEnepict, 
EK. J. WInsLow. 
The Philadelphia Meeting 
A meeting of the Society was held, as announced, at 
Philadelphia, on December 28th and 29th, in connec- 
tion with the American Association for the Advance- 
ment of Science. The Academy of Natural Sciences 
very kindly placed a convenient room at our disposal, 
and the Committee on Arrangements, Messrs. J. G. 
Scott, Chairman, T. C. Palmer, Wertsner, and Benedict, 
attended efficiently to all preparations. 
