PREFACE. 



The want of a popular hand-book on our native ferns 

 induced the author to issue the present work. The great 

 expense of getting up the illustrations no doubt prevented 

 pubHshers from such an undertaking. The beautiful mon- 

 ograph of the Ferns of North America, by Professor D. C. 

 Eaton, of Yale College, now in course of publication, will, 

 when it is completed, form a most valuable contribution to 

 Botanical Science. The only aim of the present volume, 

 however, is merely to be a guide to the amateur fern- 

 gatherer, a book that can be carried in the pocket, and 

 referred to at any time, whether in the woods or in the 

 study. Pages are left blank so as to enable the student 

 to make notes regarding the habitat and locality of ferns 

 and flowering plants. 



The works of Riddell, Short, Clapp, and others who 

 have gone over probably the same ground, are scattered 

 throughout the various periodicals published at that time. 

 They are very difficult to get at, and entirely out of the 

 reach of the amateur botanist. These early workers made 

 no attempt to illustrate, sometimes mentioning the county 

 where the specimens were found, seldom the exact locality. 



(iii) 



