AMERICAN FERN SOCIETY 23 
to be proud of, and the editors would enlarge it at once 
if the Council did not stint them as to expenditures. 
Under the care of Curator Hopkins the Society herbar- 
ium has been largely increased, valuable additions 
having been made during the year, as will be seen from 
his report. 
So much for the year past; now, what of the coming 
one? I shall be much disappointed if, when I turn 
over my office to my successor next year, I cannot say 
that the Society has 300 members in good standing. 
There is no reason why we should not have that number 
and more, but the increase must come as a result of 
the work of individual members. It is planned to 
enclose two application blanks with the first number of 
the Journat for 1916 and if the members will see them 
properly placed, we shall, without doubt, get the desired 
increase. Members should, where possible, arrange 
for local meetings. These will be especially valuable 
if they can have the aid of some local botanical or 
natural history society. Members are asked to re- 
member the Society fern gardens and send in plants 
for cultivation in them. 
I suspect that to many members the coming of the 
Journat is almost the only evidence they have of their 
connection with the Fern Society. This is not as it 
should be, for one of the first objects of the Society is 
to promote acquaintance among the members. I can 
say, personally, that some of the most valued friends 
I have came to me through such acquaintance. The 
best wish, then, for the coming year that, as President, 
I can leave with the members, is that it may bring to 
. each, through our Society, at least one new friend. 
C. H. Bisseuu, President. 
