zZ MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
reason for attempting to restore it to its original appearance» 
Accordingly, the building has been stuccoed, which will in- 
sure its standing for another seventy-five years, besides pro- 
ducing a particularly pleasing effect. As soon as the new 
planting around the house, together with the vines, becomes 
established it is believed that the old residence will present 
a much more attractive appearance than it has in recent 
years. 
A _long-needed improvement has been an exit from the 
Garden at the south end. Visitors coming in at the main 
gate and walking through the grounds have been compelled 
to retrace their steps in order to get out. A turnstile has now 
been set in the stone wall just north of the gateway at Botan- 
ical Avenue, and this, for the present at least, will meet all 
demands for an exit at this point. 
Another addition has been the installation of an overhead 
watering system in all the display and growing houses where 
it could be used. This system not only insures a saturated 
atmosphere during the hot days, but experience has shown 
that with the fine spray of water it is possible to reduce the 
temperature of the orchid and other houses from six to ten 
degrees. It is likewise important as a labor-saver, which, on 
account of the diminished number of men on the pay roll, 
has been an important item during the year. In addition 
to the special items noted above an unusual amount of repair 
work, particularly painting, both indoors and out, has been 
attended to during the past twelve months. 
"The severe winter of 1917-18 resulted in the destruction 
of a considerable number of plants and trees in the Garden 
Some of the hedges were killed, and many of the so-called 
hardy perennials had to be cut back to the ground. Prac- 
tically all of the standard roses, together with many other 
varieties, succumbed more or less completely to the severity 
of the weather. The greatest single loss was the destruction 
of all but three of the fine specimens of Magnolia grandiflora 
which had been brought from Florida the previous spring. 
Although these plants were as caer gd protected as pos- 
sible, the fact that they had been in this climate for such a 
short time, together with the unusual low temperature to 
which they were subjected, made it impossible for them 
to survive. Because of the very unusual dostonetibi of per- 
manent plantings in out-of-door gardens, much attention 
has been paid during the year to replacing this material, 
and, while it will require some time for the plantations to 
assume the desired size, in most cases, the substitution of new 
shrubs will ultimately be a distinct advantage. A large num- 
