Is 
Botanic Garden, was continued through a part of 1935 and for 
a few weeks in the spring of 1936, and then the men were trans- 
ferred to another project. An Advisory Committee for the 
Medicinal Plants and one for Culinary Plants have been organized. 
Conservatorics 
The Economic House of the Conservatories was first opened to 
the public on May 13, L914, with an inspection by members of the 
New York Association of Biology Teachers and their friends. 
This house is 104 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 36 feet high to the 
top of the lantern above ground level. [It was built by the Pierson 
U-Bar Co., not now in existence. Owing to the fact that 1t was 
built upon recently filled land, and partly to defect in design, this 
house began early to sag, and in a few months it had settled four 
inches. In December, 1914, the defect was remedied and the 
superstructure strengthened by four upright supports of steel 
tubes. 
Apparently, gradual settling continued, and on March 13, 1936, 
PI y,§ g 
we submitted to the Board of [Estimate and Apportionment a 
request for a supplementary appropriation for Repairs and Re- 
placements of $1800, the amount estimated by Hitchings and 
Company as sufficient to cover the necessary repairs. Subsequent 
inspection by engineers of the Park Department led to the con- 
clusion that more work and materials would be required than was 
originally thought and a more thorough method adopted. We 
are indebted to the Park Department for their cooperation in 
making the necessary inspection, preparing the plans and specifica- 
tions, and making application for a supplementary appropriation 
of $4200 to provide the total of $6000 required. This appropria- 
tion was voted by the Board of Fstimate and Apportionment. 
Bids were opened on December 31, 1936, and the contract awarded 
to the Balaban-Gordon Company of New York, the lowest bidder. 
Work will begin in January, and the contract time is 80 working 
days. 
RESEARCH 
In the dawn of civilization science was a pastime, “a sort of 
intellectual game,” which fasciated primitive men, possessed as 
