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was a distinct success. Interest in the lectures and atten- 
dance upon them increased from the beginning. The 
publication of abstracts of these lectures in our JOURNAL, 
which has been decided upon, will still farther increase this 
interest and greatly extend the educational value of the work. 
An important feature of the internal work of the Garden 
staff, which I think has never yet been brought to your 
attention, is the regular series of monthly conferences held 
at 4 P.NI. on Wednesday afternoons in the Laboratory of the 
Museum Building. At these conferences, the several mem- 
bers of the staff and their students discuss the subjects to 
which they are respectively devoting their attention, so that 
the interest of all is maintained in the general progress and 
in the mutual relations of the different departments. The 
interest in and the value of these conferences have steadily 
increased and it has become a strong influence in promoting 
the integrity of our work. Doubtless many of the Managers, 
as well as the Scientific Directors, would be interested in 
attending these conferences. 
Two minor matters, here worthy of mention, are the 
opportunity which has been afforded by the installation of 
our new museum cases for improving the display features of 
our economic collection, and the public value of the rose 
collection planted last spring near the eastern end of our 
southern glass house. This collection represents all the more 
important varieties of roses suitable for outdoor culture. 
They are all carefully and plainly labeled with their names, 
and thus afford a perfect opportunity for those intending to 
procure rose plants to make an intelligent selection of 
varieties. 
Not the least important part of our work during one year 
is that of planning for that of the future, and this duty has 
received our careful and continuous attention. In the work 
of the coming year, exploration is to play an unusually 
important part. We have accepted an invitation to co- 
operate with the New York Academy of Sciences and the 
American \luseum of Natural History in a scientific survey 
