102 
REPORT OF THE CURATOR “OF THE HERBARIUM 
FOR 1942 
To THE DrREcToR: 
I submit herewith my report for the year ending December 
31, 1942 
THE Locat FLora SECTION 
I mentioned in my report for last year that we received through 
the kindness of Mr. Augustus Wittingham of Andover, New 
Jersey, sufficient limestone rock to construct a semicircular ledge 
some six feet in height at the southeast corner of the Section. 
The construction of this ledge was completed early enough for 
ring planting. The roughly finished construction is pictured in 
3ROOKLYN Botanic GARDEN ReEcorD 31: 203. July. Together 
with the broken-limestone area partially enclosed by this ledge, 
the area for successful growth of native plants has been greatly 
increased. We can now, | believe, have a good development of 
hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba), rue anemone (Anemonella thalic- 
troides), blue cohosh (Camwophylhan thalictroides), and many 
other plants of limestone habitat which do not thrive unless con- 
ditions are good. The background of this area was a rather stiff 
clay soil and much work is still needed in order to make this and 
wn 
— 
adjacent areas presentable. 
It is hoped that during the coming year the bog can be largely 
replanted; cranberry vines (Vaccinium macrocarpon) have over- 
run a large part of the bog and have forced out many of the less 
resistant plants. It is planned to remove perhaps fifty per cent 
f the contents of the bog into an area lying between the bog and 
the limestone ledge, and to fill in the bog with fresh baled peat. 
Much pruning and the removal of some old trees still needs to 
be carried out in the Local Flora Section, but such things can be 
done only gradually. Some of the dogwoods (Cornus florida) 
which were planted among the white pines (Pius Strobis) on the 
border mound have become crowded and these dogwoods have 
been removed in the neighborhood of the upper gate. It is 
planned during the coming year to excavate an area about twenty 
feet across in the plantation of red maples (Acer rubrum) in 
order to provide a swamp-like pool for the growth and display 
