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REPORT OF THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD. 11 
an average payment of $1,272.60 per year. (2) The sum 
of $1,000.00 per year for a banquet to the Trustees of the 
Garden and invited guests, the average expenditure for the 
past sixteen years being $948.56. (3) For a banquet to 
the gardeners of the institution and invited florists, nur- 
serymen and market gardeners, $400.00 per year, of which 
an average of $368.15 has been used. (4) For premiums 
or prizes to be offered at a flower show held in St. Louis, 
$500.00 per year, the expenditure averaging $360.75. (95) 
For a sermon to be preached each year on the wisdom and 
goodness of God as shown in the growth of flowers, fruits 
and other products of the vegetable kingdom, $200.00 
per year, which has been paid in full. 
REAL ESTATE IMPROVEMENTS. 
Among the real estate improvements made by the Board, 
in addition to sharing in general street and sewer develop- 
ment, is to be noted particularly the improvement of Flora 
Avenue, by which the main gate of the Garden is ap- 
proached from Grand Avenue. This street, nearly a mile 
long, with the co-operation of other persons owning prop- 
erty along it, has been converted from a narrow dirt road 
into a wide macadamized boulevard with granitoid walks, 
shade trees, and a well planted park strip down the cen- 
ter, the expenditure of the Board on it amounting to 
$44,840.78. 
UNPRODUCTIVE PROPERTY. 
It has been found impracticable to carry out Mr. Shaw’s 
plan of long term residence leases for the unimproved real 
estate in the vicinity of the Garden, and the courts have 
granted to the Board power to sell this property, on con- 
dition that the proceeds shall be reinvested so as to yield an 
income for the maintenance of the Garden. Under this 
permission some sales of building sites have been made and 
