32 
azaleas, Pachysandra terminalis, Arctostaphylus (bear-berry), 
[lex crenata, and Austrian pines, the area north of the gate 
being partially planted. This is an important entrance, and one 
of the most frequently used, and it is highly desirable that this 
planting be completed in ro919, in accordance with the adopted 
plans of the consulting landscape architect. 
Extending the Systematic Section to occupy all of the area 
assigned to it could not be completed, as about 34 acre of this 
area was given over to raising potatoes as a war-garden measure. 
New Trees for the Esplanade—On October 25-27 eighty 
specimen trees of Schwedler’s variety of the Norway maple were 
planted in double rows on either side of the esplanade leading 
to the Museum embankment. These trees, averaging 3-4 inches 
caliper, are 18-20 feet in height and replace the flowering dog- 
woods, recommended by the landscape architects, and which, 
after a trial of four years, proved unsatisfactory. 
Loss of White Birches—In my preceding report [ called at- 
tention to the ravages of a destructive disease of the white birch, 
caused by the bronze birch-borer, followed by one or more para- 
sitic fungi. This disease is fast exterminating all the white 
birches, not only in the Garden, but in Prospect Park, and gen- 
erally throughout the borough of Brooklyn. The Garden has 
lost over fifty trees, leaving many bare spots, especially around 
the Japanese garden. 
Effects of the Severe Winter-—The winter of 1917-18 was 
the most severe in Brooklyn since the establishment of the 
weather bureau. A period of below zero temperatures the first 
of the year was followed by a sudden rise to 50° on January 12, 
accompanied by a wind reaching a maximum velocity of 84 miles 
an hour. As a result of this combination of extreme cold and 
extreme drought some 24 species of trees and shrubs, ordinarily 
hardy, were completely killed, 20 species were killed to the 
ground, and about 68 species were severely injured. A full ac- 
count of this injury may be found in the Garden Recorp for 
July, 1918. 
New Accession System—The report of the curator of plants 
calls attention (p. 57) to the new loose-leaf system of accession 
records, devised by Dr. Gundersen, and replacing the card cata- 
