46 
REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF PLANTS FOR 1912 
Dr. C. Stuart Gacer, Director. 
iyr:—I have the honor to submit herewith my report as 
Curator of Plants for the year ending December 31, 1912. 
In accordance with the suggestion in my annual report for 
1gi1, the Garden forces have been separated into two divisions, 
one of gardening proper, the other to do all other general work 
on the grounds. Both of these forces have been under my super- 
vision and it will be convenient to consider them separately in 
this report. 
1. GENERAL MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION FORCE 
This work has been carried out under the foreman, Mr. 
Herman Kolsh, with a force averaging 12 men during 28 weeks 
at the beginning and end of the season, and a force averaging 
24 men during the seven busiest weeks in April and May. 
The most important work done by this force was the grading 
of the southern portion of the central meadow, comprising an 
area of 5 1/5 acres, and the construction of the artificial brook. 
In order not to delay the fulfilment of the soil improvement 
scheme* it was necessary to carry on both these operations 
practically at the same time. Expenses in connection with the 
grading and building of the brook and the soil improvement 
scheme were, however, kept separate. 
The area occupied by the brook and its adjacent territory 
was originally quite flat, with a gentle slope southward. The 
problem was the excavation of the brook and the utilization of 
the excavated material to give the necessary pitch from the edges 
of the meadow towards the brook. Plans were drawn up by 
Olmsted Brothers for this, and the preliminary staking out of 
the work was accomplished by the engineer, Mr. Thatcher T. 
P. Luquer, early in April. Work was begun on April 7 and 
completed on May 27. 
*See Brooklyn Bot. Gard. REcorp 1:53. 1912. 
