62 
ernmental and private support of scientific research (as of art, 
music, or religion) lies in those who are now children. 
But it was not this seemingly ‘ulterior’? motive that led to the 
inclusion of children’s work in the educational program of the 
Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In fact, that thought was at first 
not in mind at all. The work was initiated because it was be- 
lieved to be its own justification, and to be a most appropriate 
function of an institution organized to serve the entire com- 
munity and supported in part by public taxation. 
After thirty years of this work it is gratifying to recall how 
many boys and girls, having their eyes and minds opened and 
getting their inspiration here, have gone from our Children’s 
Garden through high school and college courses to postgraduate 
research in some aspect of botanical science; and also, inciden- 
a] 
tally, to note how many of these boys and girls, now mature 
citizens, have become financial and moral supporters of the 
Botanic Garden. 
A statement of this part of our work during 1941 may be found 
in the appended report of the Curator of Elementary Instruction, 
under whose leadership the work has been organized and con- 
ducted during the past twenty-eight vears. 
British Project. Special attention is called to Miss Shaw’s 
report (p. 114) of the war-time assistance rendered, in 1941 for the 
second year, by the members of our Boys and Girls Club to the 
children, 5-15 years of age, of Northbourne, County Kent, 
Ikengland. During the two years our boys and girls have con- 
tributed and sent £35 in money and also large boxes of clothing. 
Penny Packets of Seeds, distributed to school children for plant- 
ing in school and home garden, have this year, for the first time, 
reached a total of more than one million. The exact figures are 
1,055,158; 
One Ton of Tomatoes. We have stated in previous reports 
that the Children’s Garden is conducted primarily with reference 
to the education of children, but we never lose sight of the fact 
that, if it succeeds from that point of view, there will be a satis- 
factory crop. As evidence that there is, it may be noted that 
during each of the past three years (1939-1941) the children have 
harvested more than a ton of tomatoes, in addition to crops of 
