46 
of the year. The erection of this fence was a prime requisite in 
order to enable us properly to police the grounds and to control 
such vandalism as all public parks and gardens are subject to 
everywhere. 
Bulb Planting —The planting of bulbs naturalistically i in the 
lawns has been continued. Those planted in the fall of 1924 
(about 24,000) came into bloom last spring, adding greatly to 
the beauty of our grounds. During the fall of 1925 there were 
added over 31,000 more of about 114 varieties of Narcissus, 
Tulip, Crocus, and other bulbs. A full report of this work is 
given by the Horticulturist, Mr. Free, on page 88. Of the tulips, 
6,810 I. Gesneriana spathulata major were presented by the Del- 
Bay Farms, Inc., through one of our trustees, Mr. Alexander 
M. White. A bed of about 3,000 Lily-of-the-Valley was made 
possible by a gift for this purpose of $50 from Mrs. F. W. Rowe. 
Tree Planting by Girl Scouts—On Friday afternoon, April 24, 
the Girl Scouts of Flatbush presented and planted an American 
Elm tree in the grass triangle south of Azalea Knoll. The 
planting was accompanied by suitable exercises. This is the 
seventh memorial tree to be planted in the Garden. 
Shortage of Labor—The work of upkeep of our collections 
increases each year as the collections increase. More and more 
of the Garden comes annually into intensive cultivation, trees 
and shrubs grow larger and require more care, and replacements 
also increase, yet we have had no addition to our small force of 
gardeners for seven or eight years. For a garden of about 40 
acres under cultivation, there are only four trained gardeners 
(one for each ten acres!), supplemented by part time assistance 
during part of the year of one or two laborers. There is a corre- 
sponding shortage in the laboring force. Among the results of 
this inadequate labor supply, it may be noted that some four 
or five acres of the north addition still remain to be graded, top- 
soiled, put into lawn, and planted, not to mention the unsatis- 
factory general upkeep of the grounds and the collections of 
living plants. The loss of trees and shrubs owing to the ravages 
of borers has been disheartening, and could have been greatly 
reduced if we had had more gardeners. An item in our annual 
tax budget request for more gardeners has been repeated for 
several years, but not granted. 
