Show k R. R W. W H. H CHAMBERLIN of the L. L D. D S S. S College recently presented a fine collection of ferns to the herbarium herbarium her her- barium of the University The collection collection collection tion which embraces a number of species was made in Cottonwood Canyon Utah is not rich in ferns and yet we are not without some fine represent representatives representatives sent tives of those interesting plants Many people who admire the beauty of ferns seem to have overlooked their interesting life history The ferns like many of the lower plants have what is known as an alternation alternation alternation alter alter- nation of generation that is the plant which grows from the spore of the fern does not resemble the fern but the generation after that produces the true fern plant plan t. t If a vigorous fern plant is examined in August or later in in the season it willbe will willbe willbe be observed that there are black dots on the backs of some of the leaves around their edges These dots are spore cases and in m each case a number of spore cells may be found These cases case burst later in the summer and the spores in the form of fine dust are set free They are so light that they may maybe maybe maybe be widely scattered by the wind Such spores as chance to alight on favorable places germinate and grow into what is is known as the The pro thallium is a very small shaped disk-shaped plant It is seldom more than two-fifths two of an inch in diameter and it looks like a small piece of a leaf placed flat flaton flaton flaton on the ground Close examination shows show that the underside is well supplied supplied supplied sup sup- plied with root-like root appendages called On the underside of this J inconspicuous plant two kinds of cells are produced and from th the union of j these two cells a plant is developed which eventually grows into what is s j J known as the fern plant The lum is known as the generation I. I while the fern fern plant is called the 2 generation C. C A. A Whiting f |