16 The Ferx Lover's Compaxiox 



We trust there is room also for this unpretentious, hut 

 progressive, handhook, designed to stimulate interest in 

 the ferns and to aid the average student in learning tlieir 

 names and meaning. Its geographical limits include the 

 northeastern states and Canada. Its nomenclature fol- 

 lows in the main the .seventh edition of Gray's Manual, 

 while the emendations set forth in Rhndara, of October, 

 1019, and also a few terms of later ado])tion are embodied, 

 either as synonyms or substitutes for the more familiar 

 Latin names of the ^Manual, and are indicated by a differ- 

 ent ty])e. In every case the student has before him both 

 the older and the more recent terms from which to choose. 

 Llowever, since the book is written primarily for lo^■ers of 

 Xatm'e, many of whom are imfamiliar Avith scientific terms, 

 the conmion English names are everyA^here given ])romi- 

 nence, and strange to say are less subject to change and 

 controversy than the Latin. There is no doubt what 

 species is meant when one s]ieaks of the Christmas fern, 

 the ostrich fern, the long lieech fern, the interru])ted fern, 

 etc. The use of the common names will lead to the 

 knowleilge and enjoyment of the scientific terms. 



A friend unfamiliar with Latin has asked for pointers 

 to aid in pronouncing the scientific names of ferns. Fol- 

 lowing Gray, Wood, and others we have marked each 

 accented syllalile with either the grave (') or acute (') 

 accent, the former showing that the Aowel o\er which it 

 stands has its long sound, while the latter indicates the 

 short or modified sound. Let it be remembered that any 

 syllable with either of these marks over it is the accented 

 syllable, whose sound will be long or short according to the 

 slant of the mark. 



We have appropriated from many sources such mate- 



