(77) 
Propagating Houses and Nurseries 
The increased activity of the experimental work being 
prosecuted in this part of the institution, and the attendant 
demand for more land for this purpose, made it necessary to 
take under cultivation considerably more area than formerly. 
The continued work of exploration in the American tropics 
and warmer temperate regions has brought in many addi- 
tional species — species which could not be secured from any 
other source — so that the propagating houses are kept con- 
stantly filled with the results of these expeditions. The com- 
pletion of the two additional houses has furnished more ample 
and much needed facilities for this work, as it gives additional 
room to devote to plants which require special treatment. 
The range of pits and the cellar under the new houses have 
greatly added to the facilities for the wintering of such plants 
as require but slight protection from the cold. 
Packets of seed to the number of 1,174 have been sown, 
from which have been derived, up to the present time, 2,761 
plants. There are now in the propagating houses, not in- 
cluding the experimental house under the control of Dr. 
MacDougal, 8,438 plants. Inthe nurseries there are 2,345 
trees and shrubs and about 1,200 specimens of herbaceous 
plants. 
Labeling, Recording and Herbarium 
In this department have been employed one garden aid and 
an average of about two apprentices. The garden aid has 
been employed for the greater part of his time in making 
herbarium specimens and in drying and mounting these; he 
has also been of great assistance to me in checking up and 
correcting data labels. The two apprentices have been em- 
ployed in the recording of plants and seeds, the writing of 
data labels, and the manufacture, preparation and lettering 
of show labels. 
Show labels to the number of 1,799 have been made for the 
conservatories, 54 for the trees, and for the herbaceous 
grounds 397, making a total of 2,250. 
