41 
and girls who are coming to the Garden in ever-increasing num- 
bers. Some 800 of them are enrolled as members of our Boys’ 
Club and Girls’ Club, and during the past five years the children’s 
room, unfinished and unfurnished, has been the meeting place 
for several thousand boys and girls. It ought to be made as 
attractive and interesting as possible. 
Woman’s Auxiliary 
The absorption of women in Red Cross work and other activi- 
ties connected with the war, has rightfully excluded almost every 
other interest during the past year, and social interests, here as 
elsewhere, have been at very low ebb. In view of this general 
situation the Garden especially appreciates the contribution of 
the Woman’s Auxiliary toward the success of the annual spring 
inspection, on May 28. 
Annual Spring Inspection 
The sixth annual Spring Inspection of the Garden by trustees, 
members and their friends, was held on the afternoon of May 28. 
On account of a severe thunder shower the visit to the planta- 
tions followed the serving of tea in the rotunda of the laboratory 
building. During the assembling of guests in the lecture hall, 
colored lantern slides of native spring wild flowers were exhibited. 
Employees 
Number of Monthly Employees—-The monthly pay-roll for 
December comprised 31 persons, of whom 19 received all their 
salaries from the tax budget appropriation of the City, 2 from 
private funds alone, and 10 from both funds. The position of 
library assistant was filled only at irregular intervals for reasons 
indicated elsewhere (p. 72). 
Per Diem Labor.—The number of day laborers varied from a 
maximum of 19 on March 29 to a minimum of 3 at the close of 
the season (November 22), as compared with 18 and 11, re- 
spectively, for 1917. The total number of labor days was 3,030, 
as against 2,956 in 1917. As the curator of plants points out in 
his report, this slight increase is only apparent, since the eight 

