rae 
lowest was $24,878, from William J. Thompson. Formal protest 
against awarding the contract was filed by two builders of 
greenhouses, on the ground that the specifications for the super- 
structure did not include the words “or equal thereto.” The 
office of the corporation counsel advised that in this respect the 
specifications did not conform to the legal requirements, and 
that the contract should not be awarded. ‘The specifications 
were therefore referred back for revision, reprinting and re- 
advertising. Up to December 31 this work had not been com- 
pleted. (See Appendix 2) p. 79.) 

The Grounds 
Supervision: As in I9Ii, so during 1912, the curator of 
plants has acted also in the capacity of superintendent of grounds, 
having immediate charge of both the gardening and the general 
maintenance and construction forces. 
Patrol of the grounds: By the Agreement of December 28, 
1909, between the Institute and the City, paragraph 12, the City 
agrees to furnish at all times adequate police protection. Were 
the grounds merely a public park this police protection would be 
sufficient, but the nature of our plantations, composed, as they 
are, of carefully recorded and labeled specimen plants of scien- 
tific and educational as well_as of ornamental value, renders it 
obviously essential that they should be under constant super- 
vision and surveillance by an officer, or officers, directly re- 
sponsible to the Garden. In this way, not only are valuable 
collections given suitable oversight, but the Garden official is able 
to serve the public by giving information about the collections 
and the work of the Garden. ‘This work is provided for, zpso 
facto, during the hours when the gardeners are at work. On 
Sundays and holidays two men are specially detailed to patrol 
the grounds in uniform, and to be responsible for the opening 
of the gates in the morning and closing them at night. On other 
days one of the gardeners, in uniform, patrols the grounds during 
the noon hour. 
New gate signs: A photograph of one of the signs placed 
at each of the entrance gates is repr oduced in figure 5. The sign 
announces the hour of opening and closing, and gives, in English, 
German, Italian, and Yiddish, the Garden regulations concerning 
