—39- 



The editor well says that il it is impossible for any body 

 of scientists to make a set of rules that would be accept- 

 able to everybody." Quite impossible, indeed ; every 

 attempt has demonstrated it. Yet we must have rules. 

 The editor recommends American botanists to " repu- 

 diate such nonsense " ; that is, I take it, for each to 

 repudiate any law that appears to him objectionable. 

 That is anarchy. Another course is for the Botanical 

 Clubs, or similar associations, in different countries to 

 formulate codes independently — that is provincialism. On 

 the other hand, we may accept a code set forth by a body 

 wherein the botanists of the whole world are, or may be, 

 represented. Only in this way can we hope to obtain 

 a catholic system of nomenclature. Individually we are 

 certain to find in it something not in accordance with 

 our ideas. Yet let us accept it, comforting ourselves 

 with the 'thought that the laws of botanical nomencla- 

 ture are not unlike those of the Medes and Persians, and 

 that we may be able to bring future congresses to our 

 wiser way of thinking. 



San Bernardino, Calif. 



FALL FRUITING OF THE CINNAMON FERN 



By Willard N. Clute. 



- Although the cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) 

 is one of our most abundant species, it is quite appa- 

 rent that we do not know all about it. It has an in- 

 teresting trait of fruiting in the autumn in the southern 

 States, and as yet no explanation of this peculiar habit 

 has been given. That it normally fruits in spring there 

 can be little doubt. In southern Louisiana I have thus 

 found it in March, and Air. W. C. Dukes writes me that 

 in the vicinity of Mobile, Ala., he finds it in full fruit by 

 the last of February, and occasionally some fronds by the 

 middle of that month. In the same line the observations 

 of Mr. W. C. Steele for Florida (Fern Bull. 10:19, 

 1902) indicate that the plant fruits there in spring. It 



