EDITORIAL. 



Editing a magazine at long range is not an easy proposition. 

 The editor found this out in January while more than a thousand 

 miles away. In addition to the usual delays of proof-sheets and 

 copy in the mails, the engraver was slow with the illustrations 

 and it was not until the middle of February that the magazine 

 was sent out. But it will never happen again — not if we can help 

 it ! About the second week in January the complaints began to 

 come in, and with each mail the number increased until individual 

 explanation became out of the question and we were obliged to 

 let them accumulate and trust to this note of apology and ex- 

 planation to set matters right. Unpleasant as the situation was 

 for us, there were certain consoling elements in it, not the least 

 of which was the reflection that the magazine has earned an ex- 

 cellent reputation for promptness. It has never been late before 

 and we trust it never will be again. When it does not appear 

 within ten days after the first of the month in which it is pub- 

 lished, we shall consider it a favor if subscribers will notify us. 



* * 



Without someone close at hand to watch him, the printer 

 occasionally takes unwarranted liberties with the types. In the 

 January number he made the line under the illustration of three 

 fronds of Asplcnium cbenoidcs read Asplenium cbcncum, and by 

 dropping a line out of the third editorial rendered it meaningless. 

 Because of the vast amount of patience he is obliged to exercise in 

 his business the job printer is in the habit of styling himself the 

 Job printer; but there are times when the editor feels that he 

 ought to share in the title and this is one of them. 



* 



Tt is a source of disappointment to many of our readers that 

 they cannot obtain the first five volumes of this journal. The 

 numbers have been so long out of print that all of them sell for 

 a considerable advance upon the original price and even then are 

 rarely offered for sale. We have often been urged to reprint 

 these volumes, but to do so would depreciate the investments of 

 those who have bought at an advanced price and this we are not 



