92 
The decision to own the library, however, places on the 
administration, not only the burden of expense thereby entailed, 
but also the responsibility for the prompt and efficient develop- 
ment of our collection of books. We have now a reasonable 
expectation of entering the first section of our new building not 
later than April 1, 1913, and thereafter we shall not only be 
able to accommodate a considerable increase in the library, but 
our more extensive activities, made possible by entering the 
building, and our increased staff, will make the need of library 
facilities increasingly urgent. 
On page 43 of the annual report above referred to, there 
was suggested the desirability of the early consideration of a 
plan for securing suitable private funds for library purposes. 
The annual income of $2250 from the endowment fund of the 
Garden is quite inadequate for the purpose of initial installation, 
especially in view of the heavy drafts made upon this sum 
during the early years of the Garden for living plants, lantern- 
slides, and other purposes properly chargeable to this account. 
As stated in the annual report, from $5000 to $10,000 could 
not only be profitably expended at once for books and periodicals, 
but the availability of such a sum becomes quite imperative, if 
the work of the Garden is not to be greatly retarded. 
In addition to the above sum to be immediately expended, 
the library should have an endowment sufficiently large to yield 
an annual income of from $1000 to $1200, to be expended for 
the purchase of books, subscriptions to periodicals, binding, the 
card catalog, and other purposes. 
In addition to money, gifts of botanical books and pam- 
phlets, and back numbers of botanical periodicals will all be 
welcome. If duplicates are received they can be advantageously 
used in exchange with other libraries, or with individuals and 
dealers. 
The following table gives a list of ten of the more im- 
portant botanical periodicals, not now possessed by the Garden, 
together with a plan whereby, for a stated sum, the back 
numbers could be secured and the cost of the subsequent an- 
nual subscriptions and binding be met. 
Thus, for example, we have quotations for a complete set 
