14 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



about 1,150 species are now grown in a park-like synopsis that 

 is yearly increasing in attractiveness and interest. 



One of the most pressing needs of the Garden is that of 

 additional plant houses, for the display as well as for the 

 cultivation of plants which require shelter, ^the number of 

 which, as the smoke of the city increases, is destined to become 

 greater year by year. During the past twenty years the 

 original antiquated plant houses have been supplemented by a 

 somewhat greater area of houses, either of good modern type 

 and construction, or temporarily but adequately built for the 

 propagation of plants. One such house was built in 1895 for 

 the growth of vegetables and grapes under glass; and a similar 

 house, covering 875 square feet of ground, originally built by 

 Dr. von Schrenk for his personal use, has been transferred to 

 the Garden recently for experimental purposes. The present 

 ground area of plant houses is 33,055 scjuare feet, and the 

 area of propagating frames and pits is 5,866 square feet; but 

 everywhere the plants are overcrowded, and such collections 

 as that of Agave are suffering from inadequate housing. 



Though two serious fires have occurred in the plant houses at 

 the Garden, in 1902* and 1903, f the losses experienced were 

 not only quickly made good but brought expressions of 

 sympathy and gifts of plants from so many friends as to make 

 it questionable whether the accidents were real misfortunes. 



Plant and seed accessions for the year, aside from Garden 

 propagations and collections, number 323 entries, comprising 

 10,044 plants or packets of seeds. Of these, 7,591 , representing 

 277 of the entries and valued at $607.70, were presented or 

 received by way of exchange, and 2,453, representing 44 

 entries, were bought, the Secretary's books showing an expen- 

 diture of $432.47 for such purchases and incident expense. 

 The collections by Garden employees, apart from seeds 

 gathered for exchange use, number 2,183 plants, valued at 

 $177.21, and 101 packets of seeds, valued at $10.30. Garden 

 propagations amount to 40,125 plants, valued at $2,808.75 

 and 6,860 seedlings, valued at $343.00. 



The exchange seed list issued by the Garden last winter 



* Rept. Mo. Bot. Gard. 14 : 14. f L c. 16 : 21. 



