(20) 
Genera! Considerations 
As stated in my last annual report the Garden has now 
reached the stage of development which should soon cause 
it to take rank among the most important institutions of its 
kind. Compared with the sums already expended by the 
city and by the Board of Managers for construction, relatively 
small amounts for this purpose are still necessary, including 
the completion of the new range of public conservatories, 
commenced during last year, the building of additional road- 
ways and paths, and the necessary grading and drainage 
work, and the extension of the water supply. The annual 
allowances for maintenance are, however, as yet insufficient 
for a wholly successful up-keep of the institution, and it is 
most desirable that additional funds be procured. This ap- 
proaching need was recognized by the Finance Committee of 
the Board of Managers in 1905, andin November of that year 
an appeal for additional funds was made by that Committee 
recommending the increase of our endowment to $1,000,000. 
The matter was again taken up last spring by the Executive 
Committee of the Board of Managers and the appeal renewed. 
No considerable immediate results have been reached by 
either of these efforts, although there is no doubt that much 
interest has been aroused. The present city maintenance 
allowance of $75,000 and the Garden’s available income from 
invested funds, membership dues and other sources amount- 
ing to about $28,000 provide collectively an income for 1908 
of about $103,000. It is estimated that the amount that is 
yearly needed to provide for a wholly satisfactory mainte- 
nance, a proper increase of the collections and the develop- 
ment of educational work is about $125,000. This would be 
obtained by the increase of the Endowment Fund to $1,000, 
000, as recommended by the Finance Committee and by the 
Executive Committee. 
Reports Appended 
I submit also reports by the First Assistant, the Head Cura- 
tor of the Museums and Herbarium, the Honorary Curator of 
