30 
This gift forms the nucleus of our conservatory collection, 
which now numbers about 250 specimens, representing 140 spe- 
cies. It was not our original intention to open the conservatories 
to the public until these plants could be properly labeled, but the 
demand became too large and too insistent to be disregarded, and 
st was therefore decided to admit the public without further 
delay. Nearly two hundred persons visited the collection on the 
first day, although no attempt had been made to advertise the 
fact that it was open. 
Opening Reception—The members of the Board of Trustees 
and of the Council of the Institute, and the members of the De- 
partment of Botany and their friends, were invited to inspect the 
first sections of the building and conservatories, on Saturday 
afternoon, December 13, 1913. Full accounts of this function 
have appeared in the city papers, and will also appear in the 
Garden Recorp for January, 1914. 
The Grounds 
Resetting of Reservoir Fence Completed—On March 24 the 
Mott Iron Works men resumed work on the resetting of the iron 
fence which was moved the preceding fall to the new boundary 
between the Mt. Prospect reservoir property and that of the 
Garden. The work was accepted by the Garden about May 15, 
and the invoice of $957, the contract price for the work, was ap- 
proyed and forwarded to the treasurer for payment on June 24, 
IQT3. 
Painting the Street 'ence—Attention may be called to the fact 
that the repainting of 3,600 linear feet of iron fence, along Flat- 
bush and Washington Aves., was accomplished during the winter 
months of 1912-13, by four of our own men, without any extra 
appropriation for labor or materials. 
Out of Doors Work Resumed.—Spring work out of doors was 
resumed on March 17, most of the employees of last year having 
applied for reappointment. The season was unusually forward 
(about four weeks in advance of 1912), and good weather con- 
tinued until unusually late in the fall, so that out of doors opera- 
tions were not brought to a close until November 21, one week 
later than in 1912. 
