-8 7 - 



was placed in the tub of ferns and then removed, leaving a de- 

 pression in the soil, "a swimming place for the podurids," so that 

 she could wateh the effects of anything applied to destroy them. 

 "The athletic exhibitions of internal energy by leaps into .space 

 when laid on a plate for examination, are surprising." She was 

 advised to use hot water. This no doubt killed the insect, but it 

 also killed the ferns. The problem of what will destroy the podurid 

 and not the plant still remains unsolved. She further writes: "I 

 have to content myself with the knowledge I have gotten that 

 these almost microscopic creatures are the ancestors of all land 

 animals, according to Packard. Ergo, our ancestors! If now I 

 order a fern I request that the soil be baked and boiling water 

 poured through it several times, ere it receives the plant." 



[The Fern Bulletin desires to be of the greatest service to 

 all lovers of ferns and will be pleased to publish such notes on the 

 cultivation and care of ferns as are contributed. Those who labor 

 in the fern garden should not let the devotees of the herbarium 

 have all the honors.— Ed.] 



DRYOPTERIS VS. LASTREA. 



By Chas. T. Druerv, F. L. S , V. M. H. 



I HAVE read Professor Underwood's defense of Dryopteris 

 with much interest. Truth to tell, my objection is not based 

 on research into origin of names, but on the consideration 

 that when such high authorities as Kew and such practical 

 ones as the majority of fern growers have adopted Asfi/d/inn. 

 Nephrodiitm and Lastrea, it is a pity to insist upon a fourth 

 synonym and thus to increase the confusion. I am confirmed in 

 this view all the more strongly as I find that Professor Under 

 wood's authority, Adanson, was evidently in this case as indefi- 

 nite in his classification as many of his successors. 



Dryopteris, if synonymous with Lastrea or Nephrodium* 

 has not an " enveloppe enparasol," but a distinctly reniform in- 

 dusium; the " enveloppe enparasol" or truly peltate indusium is 

 a characteristic of the very different tribe of Polys tic hum. 

 Hence Adanson in coupling Tournefort's figure of Filix-mas 

 with his definition of Dryopteris is distinctly wrong and a funda- 

 mental reason for using his synonym falls away. Consequently 

 "if," as Professor Underwood states, "all the ferns with a 

 superior umbrella-like indusium and roundish sori are to be in- 

 cluded in one genus," and "that genus by the law of priority 



