(368) 



With a collection of lantern slides which now numbers 

 more than 7,000, with collections of living plants which, 

 though not so complete as could be desired, yet offer a 

 large amount of material for illustration, and with a staff 

 whose experience has been greatly enriched by travel as 

 well as by laboratory research, it would appear to be a 

 serious waste of opportunity to permit our lecture room 

 to remain unused whenever interested and appreciative 

 audiences are forthcoming. 



Our lectures to the school children of the Bronx have 

 been given as usual, and the interest in them by teachers, 

 as well as by pupils, has continued unabated. The notice- 

 ably and increasingly numerous visits of young people 

 to our collections is probably largely due to their introduc- 

 tion to our Garden while yet school children by means of 

 these lectures, which have now been continued for about 

 four years. 



In connection with our lecture work, and as an additional 

 and important educational influence, we are at the present 

 time greatly interested in the installation of a collection 

 of large photographs, to be placed upon our walls, con- 

 sisting of typical illustrations of the arborescent flora of 

 the world. The nature of this work is discussed in the 

 report of the Director-in-Chief. 



Very acceptable also to the public has been the opportun- 

 ity of being conducted over the grounds by a competent 

 guide, through our provision of a Docent, who leaves the 

 Museum at a stated hour, visiting certain portions of the 

 Garden on stated days, and explaining the scientific, as 

 well as the popular features of the various exhibits. We 

 have been fortunate in having this important work in- 

 augurated by one of such pleasing personality, and with 

 such peculiarly good qualifications for it as Mr. Percy 

 Wilson. 



The experiment of providing reading labels on our 

 museum specimens, giving explanatory facts in addition 

 to bare details, has been found to work so satisfactorily 

 that it will be greatly extended during 191 1. 



