8 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
near what is known as the Museum gate, a beautiful and 
artistic stone building at a cost of about $4,500.00, which is 
used in the manner which Mr. Shaw intended. 
A large portion of the estate left by Mr. Shaw, located 
west of Grand Avenue, has been for years a burden to the 
Board by reason of the constantly increasing taxes, being 
largely in excess of the income, which though small can 
not be increased, as its uses will not justify an advance in 
the rentals, it being used for market gardening. In view of 
this fact the Board decided at its June meeting to make every 
possible effort to increase the revenue from this property 
by utilizing it in accordance with the wishes of Mr. Shaw, 
in the 3d Section of the 1st Clause of his will, ** by leas- 
ing upon building leases for a term of not exceeding sixty 
years,’’ and in order to test this matter fully a desirable 
piece of property was selected fronting on Flora Avenue 
between Grand and Tower Grove Avenues. Plats were 
made and advertisements inserted in the daily papers from 
July 1st to October 7th, and a large number of posters 
distributed, offering this property for perpetual lease for 
terms of sixty years at prices based on a very small per- 
centage of the present cash value of the property, with 
restrictions as to buildings, etc., renewable at the end of 
sixty years on a basis of 3 per cent. on the cash value of 
the ground at that time; but the efforts were fruitless, not 
an application being received. We feel that the leasing of 
this property for residence purposes has been fully tested 
and has been a failure, and other measures must be used 
to utilize this and other property for revenue purposes. 
We have received during the past year from the Public 
Administrator $17,670.00 on account, and according to his 
final settlement, to which the Board have excepted, there 
remains yet in his hands $4,301.82 belonging to the 
estate. 
Additions have been made to the library and herbarium 
by donations and purehase, and permanent improvements 
made at the Garden, and the following sums have been 
