(138) 
Leaf blight appeared on the plane-trees in the spring, but 
did little damage. Several young conifers near the conser- 
vatories died, but those in front of the museum building were 
in better condition than in former years. Many of the shrubs 
planted last spring were saved during the drought only by 
regular and continued watering. 
The rose bushes west of the museum building were dis- 
tributed to various parts of the grounds, and the space filled 
n with decorative shrubs of larger size. 
Systematic spraying for scale insects of various kinds has 
been continued with excellent results. The lakes have been 
kept free of algae by the use of copper sulfate, and the usual 
war has been waged against mosquitoes by applying kerosene 
to the surface of catch basins and ponds, the latter being also 
stocked with fish that feed upon the larvae. The middle lake, 
planted with water lilies, was badly infested during the sum- 
mer with a species of Potamogeton ? which developed very 
rapidly and had to be removed several times. 
It gives me pleasure to report that no losses of consequence 
have occurred through fire, hail, flood, severe cold, or violent 
storms. Special fire patrols were employed for a time in the 
hemlock grove when the danger was greatest, and the men 
employed to pick up papers and other rubbish on Sunday 
afternoons were specially instructed to assist the regular pa- 
trols in guarding against fire. 
To prevent the formation of additional trails in the hemlock 
grove and the conscaaent damage to the roots of the trees by 
trampling, large fr 1 were placed at principal entrances 
to the grove with the following instructions: ‘*This grove is 
situated near the southern limit of the region in which hem- 
lock trees grow naturally near the coast, and its preservation 
is a matter of special interest. As the roots of the hemlock 
trees are near the surface of the ground and the soil is thin, 
trampling over the ground may cause the death of the trees. 
Visitors are therefore requested to keep to the paths and trails 
and to abstain from injuring the trees in any way. If this 
