32 
gardeners should be added to our regular force. It has not yet 
been possible to re-install the economic and morphological sec- 
tions, temporarily discontinued two years ago on account of grad- 
ing operations. These collections were of great popular interest 
and should be resumed as soon as may be. A detailed statement 
of the season’s planting will be found in the report of the curator 
of plants (pp. 48-49). 
Winter Killing of Evergreens—The winter of 1915-16 was one 
of the worst for evergreens in nearly twenty years. Throughout 
the northeastern states, especially along the seaboard from Boston ; 
to New York, all evergreens suffered badly. The Garden lost 
over 80 specimen trees and shrubs, valued at over six hundred 
dollars. An account of this loss was published in the Garden 
ReEcorD for October. As there stated the high mortality is doubt- 
less explained by the concurrence of abnormally high air tem- 
peratures, strong winds, and diminished precipitation in the first 
three months of the year. During this same period the low soil 
temperatures and deficiency of precipitation reduced the absorp- 
tion of moisture by the roots at the very period when the loss by 
transpiration from the evergreen foliage was high. In other 
words, the plants succumbed to unusual drought. 
Fern Garden—The Botanic Garden has been made the de- 
pository of the American Fern Society for its collection of hardy 
living ferns. The details of the fern garden have been planned 
by Dr. R. C. Benedict, resident investigator, and a full account 
of this collection will be found on pages 50 to 52 infra. The 
number of species has been increased from 52, as reported in 
September, to about seventy-five. 
Rock Garden.—One would never deliberately choose newly un- 
covered glacial boulders as the most desirable material for a rock 
garden. As glacial boulders, however, are the only rocks in any 
sense “native” on Long Island, and as we had on hand a large 
surplus, uncovered during the grading of the north addition, the 
suggestion was at hand to utilize them for a rockery. Only a 
beginning could be made of the rock planting last season, but 
with anticipated additions of alpine and saxatile species next 
spring, the garden should soon become one of our most popular 
and botanically most interesting features. 
