The Fekn Lover's Compaxiox 17 



rial as suited our purpose. Our interest in ferns dates Ijack 

 to our college days at Amherst, wlien wc collected our first 

 specimens in a rough, hushy swamj) in Iladley. We 

 found here a fine colony of the climbing fern iLijfiodium). 

 We recall the slender fronds climhing over the low bushes, 

 unique twiners, cJiarming, indeed, in their native liabitat. 

 We have since collected and studied s])ecimens of nearly 

 e\-ery New England fern, and lun'e carefully examined 

 most of the other species mentioned in this book. ]]y 

 courtesy of the lil)rarian, Mr. William F. Rich, \\e have 

 made large use of the famous Davenport herbarium in the 

 INIassachusetts Horticultural library, and through the 

 kindness of the daughter. Miss ]\Iary E. Davenport, we 

 liave freely consulted the larger unmounted collection of 

 ferns at the Davenport liomestead, at Medford,* finding 

 here a very large and fine assortment of Boinjcluum^, 

 including a real B. tcriuitiim from Ja])an. 



For numerous facts and suggestions we are indebted to 

 the twenty volumes of tlie Fern BuUclin, and also to its 

 able editor, ^Ir. AVillard X. Clute. To liim we are greatly 

 obligated for the use of ])hotographs and plates, and espe- 

 cially for liel])ful counsel on many items. We ap])reciate 

 tlie helpfulness of the American Fern Journal and its 

 obliging editor, Mr. E. J. Winslow. To our friend, INIr. 

 C. H. Knowlton, our thanks are due for the revision of the 

 checklist and for nuich helpful advice, and wc are gratefuJ 

 to INIr. S. X. F. Sanford, of the Boston Society of Xatural 

 History, for numerous courtesies; but more especially to 

 Mr. C. A. Weatherliy for his ex])ert and helpful inspection 

 of the entire manuscript. 



* Tlecentl.v donated to the Gray Herbarium. 



