(18) 
REPORT OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR 
Dr. N. L. Brirron, DirecTor-1n-CHIEF, 
Str: I have the the honor to present the following report 
for the year ending January 1, 1905. 
In accordance with the appointment conveyed by the Di- 
rector-in-Chief, the duties of the Assistant Director, entailing 
a supervision of the maintenance of the Garden, were as- 
sumed on June I, 1904. 
Roads, Paths and Grounds 
The roads and paths of the Garden have been kept in 
order by employees of the Department of Parks in accord- 
ance with the act of organization of the Garden, two men 
being employed in restoring the surfaces of the walks and 
driveways: a force which is hardly adequate to the task, how- 
ever, and it will be necessary that an addition to this 
detail be made by the Department if the driveways are to be 
kept in good average condition. In September and October 
the Department was able to furnish screenings, which were 
applied to the repair of the surface of the roads and paths in 
various parts of the grounds. 
The lawns, terraces, plantations and borders have been 
mowed, rolled, cultivated and kept in order by laborers and 
gardeners, as detailed in the reports of the Head Gardener 
and Superintendent. The area under high cultivation hav- 
ing been increased by large extensions in various parts of 
the Garden, the care of the grounds now demands an in- 
creased force of laborers and gardeners. 
The usual number of trees in the woodlands have reached 
maturity, or have been uprooted by the wind and have been 
removed. ‘The precautions found necessary for the protec- 
tion of the Hemlock Grove have been observed, with the re- 
sult that this forest may be reported to be in a very healthy 
condition. It may be necessary to take steps for the preven- 
tion of too much disturbance of the humus, which is an ex- 
