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REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SCIENTIFIC 
DIRECTORS 
(Received and ordered printed, January 10, 1916) 
To THE Boarp oF MANaGERS OF THE NEw York Botan- 
ICAL GARDEN. 
Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit the following 
report from the Scientific Directors for the year Igr5. 
The history of the past year is distinguished by the 
records of a number of events of unusual importance. 
Among these may be accounted the celebration of the 
Twentieth Anniversary of the appropriation of land for 
the Garden by the City of New York. This celebration 
occurred from the 6th to the 11th of September, inclusive. 
The exercises of the occasion represented two quite distinct 
series, the one designed to entertain our guests and to 
make known to them the history, equipment, and work of 
the Garden, the other to provide for scientific contributions 
by the guests themselves. Both portions of the work 
were admirably designed by Dr. Britton and Dr. Harper, 
to whom the work was assigned, and were executed in 
perfect accordance with their plans. One hundred and 
forty-five persons registered their attendance, representing 
almost every botanical organization in the country and 
including many non-professional botanists. The fifty- 
three scientific papers presented covered every branch of 
botanical science and included a remarkable variety of 
subjects. It is doubtful if any botanical meeting ever 
held in America constituted a more complete exhibit of 
the character of the botanical work in progress in this 
country. ‘The successful execution of so large and varied a 
program within the time allotted, with no appreciable 
restriction upon discussion, is a feat that will be appreciated 
by all who have been called upon to preside on similar 
occasions, and one that reflects great credit upon the Com- 
mittee in charge. A full report of the meetings was pub- 
