4 PREFACE. 
obliged to seek his knowledge in many books and 
periodicals, some of which are rare, others out of print, 
and the majority of foreign origin. A volume which 
would bring these scattered facts together in convenient 
form has been greatly needed. 
In comparison with other countries, our fern literature 
is very limited. The history of American fern books 
begins in 1878 with the publication of John William- 
son’s modest little volume on the “‘ Ferns of Kentucky.” 
This went through three editions and has long been out 
of print. It is remarkable that the few years imme- 
diately following the appearance of this book should 
form our most prolific period as regards fern literature. 
In 1879 John Robinson issued his ‘‘ Ferns in their 
Homes and Ours,” a manual for the cultivator; in 1880 
the first edition of Prof. Underwood's text book ‘‘ Our 
Native Ferns’’ appeared and during the same period 
the two magnificently illustrated but expensive volumes 
of Prof. D. C. Eaton’s “ North American Ferns” were 
published. All of these have remained alone in their 
special fields. For nearly twenty years, no fern book 
that could compare with them in importance made its 
appearance. Several minor works, however, treating of 
the fern-flora of limited areas were published, chief 
among which may be mentioned Dodge’s ‘“‘ Ferns and 
Fern Allies of New England,” Lawson’s “ Fern-flora of 
Canada” and Jones’ “ Ferns of the West.” Still more 
recently have appeared Mrs. Parsons’ excellent ‘ How to 
Know the Ferns” and Miss Price's ‘ Fern Collector's 
Handbook.” This completes the list of books, but a list 
of American fern publications would scarcely be com- 
plete without some mention of the Fern Bulletin which 
enjoys the unique distinction of being the only journal 
