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the demand for certain of the numbers has entirely exhausted 
our comparatively large issue. We have reached the time when 
more adequate financial support must be available in order to 
supply the demands made by the public. It may be found neces- 
sary to make a charge for the Leaflets to all but members of the 
Garden and teachers; in my opinion, a deplorable possibility. 
Miss Shaw, the curator of elementary instruction, continued to 
serve throughout the year as managing editor of the National 
Plant, Flower and Fruit Guild Magazine; and editor of the Chil- 
dren’s Garden Department of the Garden Magazine, until Oc- 
tober, 1916; and of the Nature Club of Country Life im Amer- 
ica until June, 1916, when pressure of other duties compelled her 
to relinquish this congenial work. Miss Cross has served as re- 
cording secretary, and Miss Shaw as one of the Board of Man- 
agers, of the Woman’s Farm and Garden Association. 
My research work has had to do largely with certain diseases 
of plants, especially the rusts. I was away on leave of absence 
from February 19 till May 1, 1916, collecting and studying the 
fungi and plant diseases of Porto Rico. A report of this trip 
was published in the Botanic Garden Recorp for July, 1916. 
Special reports by the curator of elementary instruction and by 
Mr. Stoll are appended hereto. 
Respectfully submitted, 
Epcar W. OLIVE, 
Curator of Public Instruction. 
Report on Elementary Instruction 
By Exvten Eppy SHAw 
In the report of the work in elementary instruction for 1915 
emphasis was laid on three natural divisions of this work, viz., 
children’s class work, cooperation with schools, and instruction 
for teachers. These are the three lines that have been empha- 
sized during this year, and the progress made forms the founda- 
tion for this report. 
Courses for Children 
The children’s classwork has increased so that there were 
nearly five times as many children registered this year as last ; 
