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NEWS ITEMS 



Dr. Walter R. Shaw has resigned his position in Pomona 

 College, Claremont, California, and is now botanist and entomolo- 

 gist of the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, at 

 Stillwater. 



Mr. F. H. Blodgett has recently been appointed assistant 

 vegetable pathologist of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment 

 Station. 



The following statement, printed on a postal card, was re- 

 ceived last month by members of the Linnaean Fern Chapter of 

 the Agassiz Association. The appeal is self-explanatory, and as 

 Torreva is not "in politics " just at present, we republish with- 

 out comment : 

 Fellow Members : 



Vote for Mr. Gilbert. There is no comparison between the 

 two candidates for the presidency. Mr. Gilbert is a scientist, has 

 a wide acquaintance with the members, and the duties of the 

 office. He lives near the center of fern lore. I am only a col- 

 lector, have never attended a meeting and I am a worldly busi- 

 ness man. I have a daily newspaper to attend, and I am a 

 politician. In truth, I am one of the possibilities for the Presi- 

 dency of the United States upon the Populist ticket in 1904 

 against Theodore Roosevelt. It will give me all I can do to get 

 the nomination for the office. I am much pleased for the honor 

 so far and would be greatly pleased to make the Joliet park the 

 headquarters of the American fern, but the association should be 

 continued along its present prosperous lines and its affairs should 

 be considered far above the pleasure of any one individual. If 

 possible I will attend the next meeting and if you like my looks 

 I will stand for the race some other time. If any have already 

 voted for me write quickly and have the vote changed. 



Jas. H. Ferriss, 



October 17, 190 1. Joliet, 111. 



