22 



picture which shows the deficiency and the loss of yields that one 

 may expect. As a defense measure crops must be of high quality, 

 and proper plant nutrition is absolutely necessary if we are to pro- 

 duce in abundance. 



Sales of this book have been unusually high which testifies to its 

 real worth. Credit, however, must be given to its sponsors who con- 

 tributed freely of their time and to the Soil Improvement Commit- 

 tee of the National Fertilizer Association who agreed to be respon- 

 sible for the sale of enough copies so that the price of the book would 

 be within reach of all. 



FORDHAM UXIVERSITY Wm. J. BOXISTEEL. 



FIELD TRIPS OF THE CLUB 



Trip of September 28, 1941, to Lake Bear Swamp (Lake 

 Owassa) and Sprixgdale, X. J. 



This was a joint outing with the American Fern Society. Our 

 first find was made before reaching the swamp. Among the revege- 

 tating species in a long abandoned field at the edge of the swamp 

 we found the two gentians typical of north Jersey, Gentiana quin- 

 quefoUa and G. Aiidrewsii. Two species of Botrychium were taken 

 here also. In rapid succession as we entered the swamp the Massa- 

 chusetts fern, and the two chain ferns were encountered. All of 

 the species commonly to be expected in this habitat were found. 

 Our trip had been prompted by the leader's interest in a press re- 

 port that "mining" operations were in progress in the vicinity. It 

 seems that a so-called "peat" is obtained from the root masses 

 (tussocks) of Osmunda. No evidence of such activity was encoun- 

 tered though Osmunda was plentiful. This is a large swamp and 

 we did not cover it all, though the difficulty of crossing a sector 

 of Rhododendron thicket convinced most of the party that they 

 had travelled miles. The reward here was a good feed of wild grapes 

 in their prime. Before leaving the parking place many of the group 

 were successful in finding Isoetes along the shore of Lake Owassa. 



After lunch we returned to Newton and the leader obtained 

 permission from 'Mv. ^^''hittingham to cross his pasture to the well- 

 known Springdale swamp region. ]\Iany previous visits to this area 

 have been made. Clinton's and Goldie's ferns are abundant in parts 



