ol 
hampered through lack of sufficient greenhouse space for grow- 
ing winter cultures, and through insufficient clerical and garden- 
ing assistance for keeping pedigree records and taking proper 
care of the cultures. A calculating machine of the most ap- 
proved type is much needed for handling the statistical side of 
the work. It has not been possible during the past year to afford 
the additional clerical and gardening assistance to the inadequacy 
of which attention was called in the preceding annual report. 
Plant Diseases——Plant disease investigations by Dr. Olive 
have been largely determined by the war conditions, and chiefly 
confined to cooperative work with the Plant Disease Survey and 
Cereal Disease Officer of the United States Department of Agri- 
culture, including a field study of the serious and recently intro- 
duced potato wart disease. 
Flora of Long Island.—Field studies and collections have been 
made throughout the year by the curator of plants, in continua- 
tion of his work on the flora of Long Island. The field work has 
included Gardener’s Island, hitherto almost neglected botanically. 
Plantations and Grounds 
Development and Maintenance-—Work on the grounds began 
on Monday, March 18, with a small force of twelve laborers. 
While the total number of labor days was slightly in excess of 
that for 1917, it has not been possible to accomplish as much 
developmental work as needed to be done on account of the 
extra labor required for maintenance. This increases each year, 
as the area put into lawn or otherwise developed increases, and 
available labor has not increased in proportion. The city ap- 
propriation for labor is still not sufficient properly to care for 
the developed portions of the grounds and to continue the devel- 
opment of unimproved areas as rapidly as desirable. Several 
acres still remain to be top-soiled and surface-graded. As the 
curator of plants, in his appended report, well states the 
grounds have not been kept in the condition which the authorities 
of the Garden and the public have a right to expect because the 
amount of labor available is insufficient. 
Gardening Operations —A beginning was made of the orna- 
mental evergreen planting at the Malbone St. gate, comprising 


