A| 
the hope that in due course the Garden would ultimately have a 
permanent endowment fund for research. This wish has not yet 
The results of the research carried on at the Garden 
been realized. 
are such as to amply justify a generous endowment fund to place 
this work on a permanent financial basis and provide for its con- 
tinuation without the handicaps which now limit its effectiveness 
and its logical extension. 
Brief summaries of the results of the investigations in progress 
at the Garden during 1936 are given on pages 39-62, foilowing. 
Pustic EDUCATION 
Rembertus Dodoens or Dodonaeus, the founder of botanical 
science in the Netherlands, in the 16th century, was the first bot- 
anist to serve as a university professor in that country. He was 
made a professor at the university of Leiden in 1582, he the his- 
tory of Dutch botany records that “ the lack of a botanical garden 
prevented Dodoens from any activity as * professor of botany” in 
the real sense.” He pursued his own botanical researches, and 
taught in the medical faculty, but it was then considered that 
botanic garden was absolutely necessary for proper instruction in 
botany. 
The labeled collections of a botanic garden, like those of a 
museum, are the most distinctive means of public education. ‘The 
problem of labels is both expensive and difficult. It has never been 
solved with entire satisfaction. During the past year the writer 
heard the question seriously raised as to whether it would not be 
better to give up the attempt to label the plants in a botanic garden 
because of the difficulty and expense. It was also argued that 
labels detract from the beauty of a garden. Shortly after this 
discussion there was overheard the following conversation between 
— 
three young men, apparently college upperclassmen, walking in the 
3rooklyn Botanic Garden: 
“Tson’t that a fine oak!” said one. “‘ That isn’t an oak, 
another, “look at the leaves.” ‘Let us read the label,” said the 
third (reading), ‘‘ Willow Oak.” “ Well, well,” answered the first, 
“T never knew before that there was an oak with leaves lke a 
” 
said 
It may be granted that many visitors to a botanic garden regard 
