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number of the wooden girders. Painting of the remainder 
of the roof must be continued as early in the coming spring 
as possible. Some interior painting was also done at this 
house, and much more is necessary during the coming year. 
It was also found necessary to rebuild or replace much of 
the steam-pipe installation in this greenhouse. The plant 
benches here also came to be in bad condition; they were 
originally built in iron with slate bottom; the iron has been 
continually painted from year to year, but has rusted in 
spite of this care, and the whole system of benches will 
ultimately have to be rebuilt. We reconstructed the bench 
on the north side of house 5 during the summer, with re- 
enforced concrete, and this construction should be per- 
manent. It is recommended now that all the benches be 
rebuilt in concrete from time to time as they become un- 
serviceable. 
The Mansion 
Repairs to this stone building commenced last year have 
been continued, including the reconstruction of its western 
porch, interior and exterior painting and carpentering, and 
work on the roof. The reconstruction of the large south 
room on the first floor for a lecture room adjoining the 
board room, previously authorized, is in progress and it is 
expected that this new lecture room will be fully equipped 
within a few weeks. 
The other buildings, including conservatory range 2, 
power house 2, propagating houses, and all four public 
comfort stations, have required ordinary repairs, which, 
collectively, took up considerable of the time of our me- 
chanics. 
Boundary Walls and Fences 
The boundary walls and fences along the property line 
of Fordham University and along the Bronx Boulevard, 
constructed in previous years, have not required any at- 
tention during the season, but the iron work of both lines, 
over 4,000 running feet, needs painting this year. Along 
the Southern Boulevard boundary, from the herbaceous 
