4] 
Finances 
Tax Budget Appropriation—tThe tax budget appropriation for 
maintenance was, for personal service, $71,241, as against $85,540 
requested; and for other than personal service, $18,809.80, as 
against $21,825.61 requested; or a total appropriation of $g0,- 
050.80, as against a total request of $107,365.61. The request was 
based on what the Botanic Garden Governing Committee felt was 
the least possible amount necessary to meet urgent needs. The 
difference between the amount requested and that appropriated 
($17,314.81) was partially met by diverting about $15,420 of un- 
restricted private funds from the educational and scientific work 
for which they were originally intended. The unprovided re- 
mainder represents the extent to which the work of the Garden 
was still further curtailed and crippled. As soon as the Board of 
Estimate and Apportionment can see its way clear to meet the 
entire annual cost of maintenance, in harmony with the spirit of 
the agreement between the city and the Garden, this institution can 
at once begin to render a much larger service to this community, 
to education, and to science. 
Tax Notes—On June 13, 1919, the Board of Estimate and Ap- 
portionment was requested, through the Park Commissioner, to 
appropriate $10,000 in order to provide for an extension of the 
underground coal cellar of the Garden so as to carry it from the 
street fence line to the curbing on Washington Avenue and to con- 
nect it with the existing cellar. On July 18, 1919, the Board 
approved a resolution for the issue of Tax Notes in the sum of 
$5,000 to provide for the cost of the work, including $250 for the 
services of an inspector. When the bids were opened on March 4, 
1920, the lowest bid was in the sum of $6,298. On May 7, 1920, 
the Board adopted the recommendation of its Committee on Fi- 
nance and Budget for approval of increased cost from $4,750 to 
$6,298. The original bidder declined to execute the contract 
awarded on May 27, 1920, at the price bid on March 4. Eventu- 
ally the plans and specifications were modified and simplified; the 
contract was readvertised and was let on June 9, 1921, to the low 
bidder, the Mott Haven Construction Co., 1050 Forest Avenue, 
Bronx. Work began on this contract on August 8 and was com- 
