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needs largely at the expense of ministrations to the mind and 
spirit.t 
Botanic GARDENS ARE ALSO EMPLOYERS 
The Botanic Garden has held its own fairly well financially, dur- 
ing the past year, but of course there have been resignations from 
our membership. Some of the letters of resignation have stated 
that the member was resigning because of contributions made to 
one or more of the various agencies organized to provide employ- 
ment. The fact tends to be lost sight of that the Botanic Garden 
is also an employer of labor. Is it not better, from the standpoint 
— 
of both economics and morale, to provide funds for continuing 
employees in normal employment than to withdraw such support, 
thereby adding to the number of the unemployed while contributing 
to unemployment relief. 
During the past few months more than one person has remarked 
to the writer that, in the existing situation, he thought “ museums 
and botanic gardens could wait,’ wholly losing sight not only of 
the vital importance of their ministrations to human needs, but of 
the fact that, if that point of view should become general con- 
cerning educational institutions, thousands would thereby he 
thrown out of employment. 
It has also been seriously suggested by some that in a period of 
depression botanic gardens and museums should not add to their 
libraries or scientific collections—should not buy plants and books 
apparently losing sight of the fact that hundreds of thousands 
depend for their livelihood upon producing and marketing plants 
and books. If the largest consumers of these things cease to make 
purchases, the business depression is only accentuated. <A great 
need, just now, 1s that business shall be kept as normal as possible. 
No contributions can be more effective than those which tend to 
insure this. 
I have entered into some detail in these matters because it has 
1Jn this connection it is interesting to note that es Haddon, in a 
court in Richmond, ee (according to a dispatch in the New York 
Times of December 23, 1932), recently ruled that flowers are a necessity 
in human lives, ey as much as fuel, meat, vegetables. In harmony with 
this view he ruled that vendors of flowers raised by themselves need not 
pay the license tax from which those who sell “ family supplies” are exempt. 
