39 
PLANTATIONS AND GROUNDS 
The purpose of our labeled plantations, and the educational pro- 
gram based upon them, is to bring “through the public eye into 
the public heart ” + an interest in our native flora and its conserva- 
tion, and an interest in the plant life of the world and the crea- 
tions of horticulture as an added satisfaction and enrichment of 
human life. The first step toward accomplishing this is to make 
the Garden beautiful; the second step is to make it instructive in 
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more than a casual or incidental way. We have innumerable evi- 
dences and assurances that this object is being accomplished more 
and more fully each year. 
Local Flora Section 
The Local Flora Section (Native Wild Flower Garden) was 
opened to members and their guests (for the first time since its 
rearrangement) on May 9, the occasion of the annual Spring In- 
spection. This Section was originally laid out (in 1911) on a 
Systematic basis, like the main Section of the Garden. Under the 
curatorial supervision of Dr. Svenson the Section has been rear- 
ranged on an Ecological basis, which was rather fully described 
in the preceding Annual Report (pages 96-99). The fence en- 
— 
ie: 
lamented trustee, Mr. Alfred W. Jenkins, make it possible to con- 
osing this Section and the two rustic gates, all the gift of our late 
trol access to it, as is now done for the Japanese Garden and the 
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Rose Garden. The intimate nature of the planting makes it neces- 
sary to restrict the entrance of the general public to times when 
guards or gardeners are in attendance. This garden, like the other 
two mentioned, is comparable to a special exhibit room of a mu- 
seum. It contains many rare species of the local flora, as well as 
the commoner sorts, and its use, in even the slightest degree, for 
ordinary park purposes, even for aimlessly strolling through, would 
defeat its purpose. Classes are freely admitted when accompanied 
by a Botanic Garden guide, members with accompanying friends 
are admitted by appointment, at mutually convenient times, and 
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the general public will be admitted whenever an adequate number 
of guards can be in attendance. 
1Dr. John M. Clarke. Ann. Rept. N. Y. State Museum for 1913. 
