( 230 ) 
in company with Professor Hugo de Vries, and work in Cuba 
by Dr. Shafer. 
Material additions have been made to our collections of 
living Cactaceae, and especially to our colored drawings of 
these plants, as well as of the Orchidaceae. 
Important researches have been conducted concerning 
the diseases of our forest trees and the best methods of 
checking them. 
The collection and study of fungi has proceeded most 
actively and effectively, especially on the part of Assistant 
Director Murrill, and our Mycotocra, which is largely 
devoted to recording the results of this work, is universally 
recognized as an authoritative publication in this depart- 
ment of botany. 
The Scientific Directors have, at two meetings, discussed 
the practicability of publishing a large, handsomely illus- 
trated quarto work on American fungi, and the subject is 
still under consideration. 
The Garden has participated in a number of scientific 
meetings throughout the country, special mention being 
here made of a convention of scientific societies held in 
Washington, D. C., a convention held at Harrisburg, Pa., 
for the discussion of the chestnut canker, a celebration by 
Pittsburgh University and the Centennial Celebration of 
the Philadelphia Academy of Science. 
A notable accomplishment of the year has been the 
completion of the Cox memorial fund, and the installation 
in the Library, in a special case, of the Cox collection of 
Darwiniana. 
The monthly conferences of the staff which have been 
held during the year are also worthy of special notice. These 
conferences tend not only to promote effectiveness in indi- 
vidual work, but also solidarity in the general work of the 
staff, by keeping its several members informed as to the 
mutual relations of their respective contributions. 
The public educational work of the Garden has shown 
distinct progress. Not only have the regular spring and fall 
