REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SCIENTIFIC 

 DIRECTORS FOR THE YEAR 1909 



(Presented and ordered printed January 10, 1910) 



To the Board of Managers of the New York Botani- 



Gentlemen: The meetings of the Scientific Directors have 

 been held regularly during the year 1909, on April 10, 

 June 12, October 9 and December 21. At each meeting 

 steady progress in the development of all lines of the Gar- 

 den's work has been recorded. The details of this work 

 are incorporated in the annual reports of the heads of the 

 several departments. The present report is confined to the 

 purposes of a general review. 



In the matter of publications the most gratifying feature 

 is the steady advance toward a condition of self-support, 

 indicating that, on the basis of our present expenditure, 

 our scientific publications will in the near future cease to be 

 a source of net expense to us. Interest in this fact relates 

 chiefly to the increased public interest that is indicated by 

 the larger number of subscribers, and to the consequent 



In our work of exploration we have steadily pursued the 

 plan adopted in 1907, at the suggestion of my predecessor, 

 so far as conditions would permit. Probably the most 

 important work of this kind since then has been conducted 

 in the Bahamas, with the result that there now remains but 

 one undertaking to complete our exploration of these 

 islands, and to permit the publication of their flora. This 

 is the exploration of the interior of the Island of Andros, 

 which will be undertaken by Dr. Small during 1910. Ex- 

 plorations in Cuba have been pursued by Mr. Shafer; in 

 Florida by Dr. Small; in Santo Domingo by Mr. Taylor; 

 in the southern United States by Mr. Eggleston, and in 

 Jamaica by Dr. Murrill, the latter with special reference to 



