240 
Propagation and Distribution of Native American Plants 
In the Botanic Garden Leaflet for April 16, 1924 (mentioned 
above), attention was called to the desirability of propagating 
some of the rare species of native American wild plants with the 
idea of distributing seeds and young plants to persons who would 
be able to grow them. As a step in this direction Dr. Benedict 
began in the fall of 1925 to raise, from spores, plants of the Hart’s 
Tongue Fern (Scolopendrium vulgare), found in only two re- 
stricted areas in America (in Tennessee and New York), and in 
danger of becoming exterminated im one of these areas (Green 
Pond, near Syracuse, N. Y.) on account of quarry operations. 
About 1,000 young plants (“sporelings ’’) were grown that year 
and distributed in 1926 and 1927. It is planned to continue this 
work. 
Wild Flower Preserves or Sanctuaries 
In the Leaflet of April 16, 1924, the importance was urged of 
providing preserves or “ sonctuaries ” for Native American Flora, 
especially the species suffering from vandalism and consequently 
becoming rare and in danger of extinction in the vicinity of large 
cities. This was referred to again in the Annual Report of the 
Garden for 1925, and in Brooklyn Botanic Garden Leaflets, Series 
XVI, No. 4 (May 16, 1928), entitled “ How shall we save rare 
plant species from extinction?” In the Leaflet it was pointed out 
that, “For practical conservation, private initiative must take the 
lead in setting aside tracts of land as sanctuaries where the propa- 
gation of rare plants and their naturalization can be carried out.” 
Conservation activities are a continuing interest of the Botanic 
Garden. 
WORLD SERVICE 
1. BoTANICAL PUBLICATIONS 
Brooklyn Botanic Garden publications circulate in 65 foreign 
countries, besides the circulation in the United States. They fall 
naturally into three groups, as follows: : 
a. Technical, devoted exclusively to publishing the results 
of research done at the Garden or at other institutions. These 
include, 
