THE FERX BULLETIN 



3 



To Mr. Graves, the American Fern Society owes 

 much of its present prosperity. He was one of the 

 four fern students who decided that a society for the 

 study of ferns by correspondence was feasible and did 

 more than his share to interest others in the project. 

 Of the others who became charter members of the So- 

 ciety only four remain, our President. Rev. Jas. A. 

 Bates. Dr. Waters. Prof. Petty and the writer. 



The proposal to found a fern society came at an op- 

 portune moment. There were no popular books on 

 ferns to be had at that time and we all realized the 

 difficulties of studying- alone. At the first election Mr. 

 Graves became treasurer and for ten years held that 

 office. Upon him devolved the difficult task of keep- 

 ing delinquent members interested enough in the 

 struggling society to pay their dues, and he adminis- 

 tered this trust with rare judgment and ability. In 

 those days his correspondence was voluminous, but it 

 brought him into touch with a wide circle of plant stu- 

 dents and gained him friends wherever he was known. 

 He much preferred writing to these friends to writing 

 for the general public. Occasionallv he was induced to 

 write for the magazines, and his name will be found 

 among the contributors to Medians' Monthly, Fern 

 Bulletin, Asa Gray Bulletin and others. He was long 

 connected with the Gray Memorial Botanical Chapter 

 a society interested in the study of wildrlowers, held 

 various offices in the society and contributed much to 

 the correspondence bulletins sent out. He was also a 

 leading spirit in the publication of the "Flora of the 

 Upper Susquehanna." Though he wrote little for pub- 

 lication his opinion was sought by many botanists and 

 students. 



Although at an advanced age. he was not troubled 



