THE FERN BULLETIN 



85 



Botrychium obliquuin dissectum : Aug. 20. 1904 

 (fertile). Sept. 1, 1905 (fertile). Sept. 8, 190(5 

 (sterile). Sept. 10. 1907 (two fruiting spikes). 



[This is an excellent contribution to our knowledge 

 of these fern-worts, and an example of careful work- 

 that might be followed with profit by others. It seems 

 likely from the above, that in these plants, as in others, 

 heavy fruiting is followed by a sterile year. We are 

 ready to mark the second species fertile in 1908 and 

 the third species sterile in advance of the promised re- 

 port. — Ed.] 



POLYPODIUM VULGARE AURITUM. 



I think before you give Mr. Henry Merrill, of 

 Hiram, Me., the honor of finding Poly podium V ul gave 

 auHtum you had better consult some back numbers of 

 Rhodora. Several years ago I found this fern here 

 and Mr. Fernald, of Harvard, identified the same as 

 variety auritum. I have known of people before who 

 thought that the finding of a large station of a plant 

 was of vastly more value, that finding the species for 

 the first time by some other collector. The plant figures 

 as one in the list of Maine ferns and I furnished the 

 station and reported the same to Dr. Fellows, of Port- 

 land. Don't try and take away the honor from the 

 man who found the first station in the state of Maine. 

 At the time I sent the plant to Mr. Fernard, he told me 

 it was the second time it had been reported from North 

 America, so Mr. Merrill's station is third. I think an 

 apology is due in your paper for trying to give Mr. 

 Merrill an honor which he in no way deserves or is 

 entitled to if the law of priority means anything. I 

 have another form of P. Valgare, which I have named 

 Polypodium vulgar e forma elongata Jewell. The form 



