43 
by Miss Ida A. Johnson and Miss J. M. Culbertson. Tea was 
served by the Woman’s Auxilary. 
Plantations and Grounds 
In addition to the routine operations of maintenance, several 
large projects of development were completed or initiated. Be- 
sides those listed in the appended report of the curator of plants, 
there should be mentioned the construction of the concrete lily 
pools and the stone seats and curbs of the Conservatory Garden, 
designed by Mr. Caparn, the consulting landscape architect. This 
garden, the need of which was noted in my preceding annual 
report, is a gift to the Botanic Garden from three friends, and the 
work was done by John Thatcher and Son, under contract with 
the donors. On account of the abnormal labor condition and also 
of the excessive number of wet days, it was not possible to com- 
plete the work before winter weather set in, 
A fence, of Japanese type, was constructed along the east 
border of the Japanese Garden by Japanese carpenters working 
under the direction of Miss Averill, honorary curator of Japanese 
gardening and floral art. This fence, an attractive feature in 
itself, will serve to shut out the annoying sights and dust of 
Washington Ave., and thus give greater privacy to the Japanese 
Garden. Many new evergreens were also planted in the garden. 
About one acre of new lawn was added in September east 
of the brook on the south addition, and on the Washington Ave. 
side of the laboratory building. 
Among the new plantings, listed in the appended report of the 
curator, the row of Lombardy poplars along the east and south 
edge of the grounds will serve ultimately to exclude, in large part, 
the most unsightly view outside of the Garden. 
Maintenance.—Out-of-doors operations began on March 1o, 
the earliest date in the history of the Garden. The laboring force 
varied in number from 32 in May to four near the close of the 
season, the total number of men-days being 4,713, as against 
3,030 in 1918, and 2,956 in 1917. The following precipitation 
data are of interest as affecting our work so greatly: 
