50 
stones, ranging in weight from 50 lbs. to 12 tons were moved. 
The work commenced on April 10 and was completed by May 6. 
“The purpose of a rock garden is primarily to display plants of 
a saxatile nature and those that are found wild in alpine regions. 
In practice, however, plants not strictly alpine or saxatile are 
frequently used in rock gardens, and the practice is permissible 
under certain circumstances, provided their habit of growth har- 
monizes with that of the rest of the occupants of the rock garden. 
The assembling of a large collection of alpine and rock plants is 
necessarily a process which takes several years, especially in this 
country, where this class of plants has received but little atten- 
tion from the commercial growers. It was decided, therefore, in 
order to furnish the rock garden as quickly as possible, not to 
limit ourselves to strictly rock plants, but to make use of any suit- 
able subjects that were obtainable. 
“ Planting commenced on May 9 and about 200 species of plants 
were installed. Further planting was accomplished throughout 
the summer, but work in this direction was limited. In the fall 
about 3,000 bulbs were planted. These consisted mainly of moun- 
tain species of Tulipa, Crocus, Bulbocodium, Chionodoxa, Mus- 
cart, etc., and were planted mainly with a view to determining 
their adaptability to this climate. The garden is greatly indebted 
to Mr. Clarence Lown, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., for the gift of a 
number of rare alpine plants. About half of the space available 
in the rock garden still remains to be planted. 
“In spite of an exceptionally severe season for Alpines the 
plants set out in the spring, with one or two exceptions, grew re- 
markably well, which seems to indicate that the cultivation of 
certain alpine and rock plants is not an impossibility in this sec- 
tion of the country.” 
The fern garden, located at the north end of the local flora area, 
was planned by and constructed under the direction of Dr. R. 
C. Benedict, resident investigator, whose account of this collection 
follows: 
THE Harpy FERN GARDEN 
By R. C. BENeEpict 
“ Mention has already been made in the Recorp (October, 1916, 
p. 154) of the establishment of the hardy fern garden in coopera- 
