81 



Miscellaneous 



Bureau of Inforiuation. We are constantly receiving recjiiests 

 for information about ])lants, for advice as to their care, and for 

 other assistance of various sorts. For exaini)le, on the day this 

 is written a messenger from a well known rose grower on Long 

 Island comes to us for advice as to the best methods for testing- 

 soils ; a resident of Brooklyn telephones us to inquire how to get 

 rid of scale insects on her ivy, and how and when to divide prim- 

 rose plants; and a professor from a University comes to secure 

 specimens of pine needles of different s])ecics, in order that he 

 may complete a key to the identification of tlie various kinds of 

 pines l)y means of their needles. 



Post Card Bulletins. On February 23 post card bulletins were 

 sent to members of the Garden, announcing that the new seed 

 and nursery catalogs would he placed on the tables in the library, 

 March 4-9. On May 21 i)ost card ludletins sent to members 

 announced that over 1,000 chrysanthemum cuttings were available 

 for distribution. 



Personal Activities. In early May, I rei^rcscnted the Garden 

 at a meeting of the Cleaner Brooklyn Committee. In October 

 I served at the Children's Fair at the American Museum of Nat- 

 ural History as chairman of the judges of the exhibits of plant 

 and animal life for classroom use. During the year I gave eight- 

 een talks and addresses for various organizations and institu- 

 tions, and conducted two field trips for the Torrey Botanical Club. 



Boy Scout Examinations. As usual, I have conducted ex- 

 aminations for Boy Scouts desiring to obtain merit badges in 

 conservation and forestry. 



Increased Personnel. The work of this department has been 

 steadily increasing in all of its branches since I joined the staff of 

 the Garden in 1921, more than eight years ago. We have there- 

 fore been fortunate in enlisting the services of Miss Hilda Vilkom- 

 erson as stenographer. Miss Vilkomerson commenced her du- 

 ties March i, 1929. 



Research. A report of my work in forest iiathology during 

 the past year ap])ears on ]:)ages 62-66. 



Respectfully submitted, 



Arthur H.armount Graves, 

 Curator of Public Instruction. 



