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THE FERN BULLETIN 



think, in the postal vote taken about a year ago, when 

 an overwhelming majority of the considerable number 

 voting expressed themselves in favor of it. Assume 

 if you will that the "Journal" may not be destined for 

 the long life which is the glory of the "Bulletin." It 

 will live as long as the members give it proper susten- 

 ance. When we fail to do that it will die, as it ought 

 to. In the meantime we may have a pardonable pride 

 in its existence, and I for one shall do what I can to 

 make it worth while, as I believe it should have the 

 cordial support of every member by contribution and 

 by kindly criticism. For while the attitude of the bit- 

 ter critic and flaw finder is sometimes, though not gen- 

 erally helpful, kindly criticism no less than commenda- 

 tion is in the nature of constructive help, and will be, 

 I do not doubt cordially welcomed by those who are 

 immediately responsible for the appearance of the 

 "Journal." 



I heartily agree with you that the business of the 

 Society should be conducted with careful regard for 

 constitutional procedure. It is the only proper way. 

 And I am confident that we may safely believe that the 

 present members of the Executive Council, no less 

 than did their predecessors, have the interests of the 

 Society at heart, that they are not wholly lacking in 

 judgment, that they are not even entirely without ex- 

 perience and that in engaging in what you well know 

 are the sometimes arduous tasks of administration, 

 editing and publishing, they are not acting from sin- 

 ister motives. I feel that we should not so impugn 

 those who do our work for us. 



Perhaps there was a time in your own experience 

 when you could not very lucidly explain the difference 

 between "a fern and a carrot" — although I am sure 

 that you learned much earlier than I, with whom it is 



