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long time for any individual to continue in a single line of 

 work. Even the botanical magazines, themselves, rarely live 

 longer. Of all the botanical magazines published when The 

 Fern Bulletin was launched but two remain — The Torrey 

 Bulletin and The Botanical Gazette. 



* * 

 * 



To speak of the new publication as an " index " is rather 

 to understate the case. It really is five indexes, an index to the 

 signed articles, an index to all species about which something 

 is written, a list of contributors, a list of illustrations, and a 

 list of books and publications reviewed. It makes a pamphlet 

 the size of this issue, and is bound in heavy paper covers. We 

 understand that a copy is to be sent free to all old members of 

 the Fern Chapter whose dues are paid for 1905. 



♦ * 

 * 



At the end of the year it has been customary for us to out- 

 line something of the contents of the coming volume, and we 

 take the occasion at this time to say that the journal for 1905 

 will be in all respects up to the usual standard. There has been 

 a great demand for the fern-floras of the States, and this popular 

 feature will be continued. The floras for Ohio. Illinois. New 

 Mexico, Georgia, Mississippi. Connecticut. Vermont. Pennsyl- 

 vania and Massachusetts are under way and will be published 

 in the order in which they are completed. It should be a matter 

 of pride to residents of the various States to have their own 

 flora published as early as possible. It serves as a basis upon 

 which further work can be done, and greatly aids in defining the 

 distribution and abundance. We shall also continue the de- 

 scriptions of exotic ferns. The plates to illustrate the series for 

 1905 have already been made. As to the bulk of the magazine, 

 we expect it to come as usual from the contributions of our " 

 readers. As the journal grows older there is a tendency for 

 many to refrain from contributing, possibly because they imagine 

 they can write nothing of interest to others ; but it does not 

 need a technical education to see interesting things in ferns, and 

 we trust that beginners will claim their full quota of space. 



