THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 5 
Onoclea sensihilis, polypod or polypod brake. This name ap- 
pears to be universal throughout Vermont, but I am completely 
at a loss to account for it. Perhaps some reader of this can throw 
light on the origin. 
Osmunda cinnmnomea), Buckhorn-brake ; for what reason is 
not obvious, but possibly the woolly stipe has suggested to some 
rustic imagination the velvety covering of a buck's horn. 
Pteris aqiiilina, hog brake; because, I was told, the young 
fronds are eaten by pigs. The word brake, meaning fern in gen- 
eral, is I believe in common use throughout rural New England, 
as well as much of New York State, and is no doubt an inherit- 
ance from the speech of old England, where in some countries, 
according to a writer quoted in Britton and Holland's Dictionary 
of Plant Names, the word fern was formerly not understood. This 
is analogous to the state of things in the Green Mountain region, 
where the term fern, if comprehended at all, is looked upon as a 
'^citified" expression. Both brake and fern, however, are found 
in Anglo-Saxon in forms little different from their present day 
readings. 
Philadelphia. 
THE AMERICAN BOTANICAL CLUB. 
The American Bbtanical Club is now fully organized and in 
the last thirty days has more than trebled its membership. In 
October the first annual election of officers will be held. The of- 
ficers appointed to serve for the rest of the present year are as fol- 
lows : President, Willard N. Clute, Binghamton, N. Y. ; first 
vice-president, Charles C. Plitt, Baltimore, Md. ; secind vice-pres- 
ident, Edw. C. Jellett, Philadelphia, Pa. ; secretary, J. C, Buch- 
heister, Griffins Corners, Delaware County, N. Y. ; treasurer, 
Frank A. Suter, Lancaster, Pa. 
Tn order to be of the greatest usefulness, the club has establish- 
ed an advisory council, consisting of specialists who will help stu- 
dents name their puzzling finds. Mr. C. G. Lloyd, Court 
street, Cincinnati, Ohio, will name any specimens of puff-balls, 
eart'i stars, birds-nest fungi and allied plants that may be sent 
him, and if members of the club who are interested in such things, 
will send him their names he will be glad tO' send them some of his 
