THE BRYOLOGIST 



Vol. XX January, 1917 No. i 



THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE BRYOLOGIST AND THE SULLIVANT 



MOSS SOCIETY 



Annie Morrill Smith 



In the early fall of 1898 Mrs. Britton told me of the plan to form a society- 

 devoted to the study of mosses, and asked me if I would become a member and 

 help to work it up. In January of that year there had appeared a new depart- 

 ment of the Fern Bulletin edited by Willard N. Clute, called the Moss Depart- 

 ment, publishing four pages under the editorship of A. J. Grout. Dr. Grout 

 was then living in Plymouth, New Hampshire. He said in the opening para- 

 graph, "This department is opened with the purpose of enabling any one at 

 all interested in mosses to get some knowledge of those plants without excessive 

 labor or expense. The editor will try also to identify for subscribers difficult 

 specimens accompanied by notes and postage. It is also hoped that the Bulletin 

 may become a medium for communication of bryological notes of interest in 

 the same way that has been so admirably done in the case of ferns and fern allies." 

 Thus was launched the first number, as a four-page moss department of the 

 Fern Bulletin. The response was most gratifying and the second number was 

 increased to eight pages and headed "The Bryologist, a Department of the 

 Fern Bulletin, Edited by Dr. A. J. Grout." 



In the July number the desire for an organization for the study of mosses was 

 announced. A Chapter somewhat on the same lines as the Fern Chapter was 

 proposed, and all who wished to join such a Chapter were requested to communi- 

 cate with Dr. Grout so that the organization could be completed before fall. The 

 first article in the October number by Dr. Grout, states that the proposed Moss 

 Chapter had received support beyond the expectation of editor and friends, as 

 not only beginners but several prominent moss students had volunteered their 

 support. To quote, "It is therefore proposed to form a correspondence Chapter 

 of the Agassiz Association for the study of mosses, with a constitution similar to 

 that of the Linnaean Fern Chapter. It seems appropriate that this Chapter 

 should be called 'The Sullivant Moss Chapter' after that ' Prince of American 

 Bryologists ' William Starling Sullivant." 



Mrs. Britton, Mr. Clute, editor of the Fern Bulletin, and Dr. Grout, editor 

 of The Bryologist, acted as a committee to name officers for the first year, and 

 their appointment was published in the January number. Dr. Grout acting as 

 Secretary-Treasurer pro tern, till that time. The officers for 1899 were: Presi- 

 dent, A. J. Grout; Vice-President, Prof. J. Franklin Collins, of Providence, R. I.; 

 Secretary-Treasurer, Mrs. Annie Morrill Smith, Brooklyn, N. Y. These 



The November number of the Bryologist was pubUshed December 15. 1916. 



