60 
of these classes special talks were given, and all were conducted 
through the conservatories and plantations of the Garden. Some 
of the schools which utilized our facilities in various ways are 
Erasmus Hall, Girls’ High, Boys’ High, Manual Training, Com- 
mercial, Eastern District and Bay Ridge High Schools, Ethical 
Culture School (Manhattan), Berkeley Institute, the Brooklyn 
Training School, and Teachers College of Columbia University. 
Also a class of 35 seniors from Pratt Institute, specializing in 
kindergarten work, came to the Garden at regular intervals from 
February to June, for practical instruction in gardening methods. 
explained in the report of the assistant curator, I need only add 
the fact that during July and August, the instructor, Miss Cross, 
visited 312 home gardens throughout Brooklyn; and that, par- 
ticularly in the outlying districts, this method of actual visit to the 
homes has provided much sympathetic encouragement in home 
gardening. 
I might here again call attention to the wisdom of centering 
at the Garden all the work throughout the Borough in the teach- 
ing of gardening and in the stimulation of home garden work. 
Such a plan would certainly make for greater economy as well 
as greater efficiency. 
Study and Loan Material—As heretofore, the majority of re- 
quests for study and loan material have come from biology 
teachers in various high schools throughout the City, for Petri 
dishes filled with nutrient agar, designed for the study of bacteria 
and molds. This year, requests for nearly 500 Petri dishes have 
been filled, twice the number of the preceding year. When our 
facilities for making such preparations are increased, as planned 
in the completed building, and when teachers become more fa- 
miliar with our offer to furnish such material, we anticipate many 
more such requests. 
Editorial Work 
During the year a portion of my time has been occupied in 
editing the Leaflets, and in editorial work on the American Jour- 
nal of Botany. 
