24 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
research work, some of the results of which have already 
been published, while others are in various states of ad- 
vancement. My own study of the yuceas and related 
. plants, to which reference was made in my last report, has 
been continued through the past year as opportunity has 
offered, and the results will probably be published in the 
thirteenth volume of the Garden Report. In the prosecu- 
tion of this work, the « sea-island ”’ region of the South 
Atlantic coast and the semi-desert region extending from 
eastern California onto the Mexican table land and down to 
the Gulf at Tampico, were visited last year. 
One garden pupil, Arthur R. Gross, who had completed 
the prescribed course of study, was admitted to examina- 
tion and granted the Garden certificate in March last, and 
the vacancy so caused was filled by the appointment of 
John H. Tull, who had been a paying pupil for a year 
previous,—the appointment being made on the result of 
competitive examinations. Since April last, Miss Herta A. 
Toeppen, a graduate of the Mary Institute of St. Louis, has 
been taking the gardening course as a paying pupil under 
the provisions made by the Board, and during the summer 
two boys were temporarily received on the same basis. 
Four annual events, provided for in the will of Mr. 
Shaw, have taken place, as follows: — 
The preaching of a sermon on the wisdom and goodness 
of God, as shown in the growth of flowers, fruits and 
other products of the vegetable kingdom; the twelfth ban- 
quet to the Trustees of the Garden and their guests; the 
twelfth banquet to the gardeners of the institution and 
- invited florists, nurserymen and market gardeners; and the 
award of premiums and prizes at a flower show held in St. 
Louis. 
The flower sermon was preached in Christ Church Ca- 
thedral, St. Louis, on the morning of May 19, by Rev. 
Henry L. Foote, of Marblehead, Mass., and many of the 
audience carried to the church flowers, which were after- 
wards sent to the sick in hospitals. 
