55 
Special Needs 
Vandalism on the grounds has made the keeping of plant labels 
very difficult. More than 100 were pulled up and scattered, their 
replacement being next to impossible with any degree of accuracy. 
I would urge the need, therefore, of a stricter watch and more 
guards on the grounds. 
The statement in my last annual report about the collection of 
American plants for our living collections is just as true now asa 
year ago. Again construction work has overshadowed other in- 
terests, but for the coming year I trust that at least a start may be 
made in this work. 
Assistance 
The accessioning of plants, and their collection in different sec- 
tions of the Garden has been in charge of Dr. Alfred Gundersen, 
who has, in part, verified much of this material. He has also 
done much work on the herbarium, and has from time to time had 
assistance for this work. e has given a good deal of time to 
the department of public instruction, especially for the courses 
on “Spring Flowers and Ferns,” and one in the autumn on 
“Trees and Shrubs,” and for much informal instruction. 
Gardening and horticultural operations have been in charge of 
Mr. Montague Free, who has also given a good deal of time to 
public instruction. Many requests for advice on gardens and 
insect pests have been answered by him, either through visits to 
people’s gardens or by letter. Mr. Free has taken charge also 
of the collection of seeds and the preparation of the annual list of 
seeds offered in exchange. 
All of the general maintenance and construction work, other 
than gardening, has been, as in the past, in charge of the foreman, 
Mr. Herman Kolsh. 
Personal Activities 
I have continued my studies on the vegetation of Long Island, 
but their completion or any publication of them still seems some 
distance off. I have gone over all the Long Island specimens in 
the old Brooklyn Institute collections, those from the Long Island 
