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REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD 
OF SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS FOR 1906 
To THE Boarp or Manacers, New York BoTanicau 
GARDEN. 
Gentlemen: During the present year the Board of Scientific 
Directors has put into successful operation the system of hold- 
ing four stated meetings a year on the second Saturday 
of April, June, October and December. These are held at 
the Garden and give the members of the Board opportunity 
to become more intimately informed in regard to the work in 
progress at the Garden, and personally aware of its growing 
needs. The interest of the members is unfailing, and the 
activity of the Board is limited only by the want of sufficient 
funds with which to carry on the scientific work already in 
progress and commence other work imperatively needed. 
Early in the year the preparation of a satisfactory guide 
Book was referred to the Director together with the selection 
of guides for the personal inspection of the Garden. This 
has resulted in the publication of a first guide book to the 
entire collections, and a system of personal guides has been 
inaugurated which should be of material advantage in the 
educational value of the collections to the general public. 
The matter of proper illustrations of the perishable fleshy 
fungi for the better illustration of the local flora was taken 
up and has resulted in the perfection of arrangements with 
Mr. George E. Morris for supplying colored drawings of 
these interesting plants. This should supply an attractive as 
well as an instructive exhibit in our educational series. 
The most important development of the scientific work of 
the Garden during the past year has been in the direction of 
exploration, particularly in the American tropics, as a neces- 
sary preliminary to the publication of the North American 
Flora now in progress. Exploration has proceeded in a 
satisfactory manner in expeditions to Porto Rico by the 
Director and Dr. Howe, to Costa Rica by Mr. W. R. Maxon, 
