50 



NEWS ITEMS 



We learn from the Ottawa Evening Journal of January 19 

 details of the remarkable expedition of Mr. J. M. Macoun, 

 naturalist of the Geological Survey of Canada. He left Halifax 

 on July 2d, reached Churchill on the twenty-fifth and after 

 botanizing for a month in that vicinity started north. Sailing 

 up Hudson Bay, in the steamer "Jeannie" the party reached 

 Wager Inlet, which is almost on the Artie Circle, and here on 

 the evening of September 5th the vessel was wrecked in a storm. 

 The party rigged up two small boats, rescued from the "Jeannie, " 

 and succeeded in reaching Fullerton, about 150 miles south- 

 ward, in two and a half days. From Fullerton to Churchill it 

 is 450 miles and they made this part of the return trip in a whaler. 

 Finding it impossible to stop at Churchill on account of scarcity 

 of food the party traveled 800 miles overland by snow shoes and 

 sledges to Gimli in Manitoba, a small town on the southerly end 

 of Lake Winnipeg. Here they were within reach of civilization. 

 The botanical specimens were all saved and will prove of much 

 interest as "before no botanist had been on the west coast of 

 Hudson Bay between Churchill and Repulse Bay." At the 

 latter place all the species are. arctic. No lives were lost and no 

 one was seriously injured. 



The American Fern Society has elected the following officers 

 for 191 1 : President, Philip Dowell; Vice-president, Miss Nellie 

 Mirick; Treasurer, H. G. Rugg; and Secretary, L. S. Hopkins. 



In honor of Prof. L. R. Jones, formerly of the University of 

 Vermont, and now professor of plant pathology at the University 

 of Wisconsin, a 450-acre reserve in Vermont has been named the 

 "L. R. Jones State Forest." 



During February and March several hundred orchids will be 

 in flower at the New York Botanical Garden. The collection 

 includes many interesting and rare species from all parts of the 

 world. 



The editor of Torreya has accepted the position of Curator 

 of Plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the appointment to 

 take effect March 16, 191 1. 



