105 
a large collection of museum and herbarium material during his 
two months’ work on the island, and spent a few weeks at the 
Garden after his return, making a study of his material with Dr. 
Britton. A full set of his collection remains here. 
Professor L. M. Underwood returned from an extensive tour 
of Cuba and Jamaica on May 17. <A collection of about three 
thousand numbers was made in Jamaica, where he remained 
about three months, besides spending a month in Cuba with Pro- 
fessor Earle, as already noted. About four hundred species of 
ferns were collected, some of which are known to be new to 
science. A large number of living plants for the Garden collec- 
tions were also secured. Dr. Underwood has leave of absence 
from Columbia University until October 1, and will sail for Europe 
June 6, to spend the summer in study at Kew, Paris, Berlin and 
other gardens and museums on the continent. 
The total precipitation in the Garden for May, 1903, amounted 
to .34 inch. During the period of fifty-one days, between April 
16 and June 6, the rainfall amounted to only .37 inch, result- 
ing in a severe drouth. The thermometer registered over 85° 
on the five days ending May 22, with a maximum of 92° on 
the 20th, which heightened the effects of the deficient water sup- 
ply. Frost occurred on the 2d, the thermometer registering 
31.5°. Other notable low temperatures of 38.5° on the 11th 
and 40.5° on the 26th were recorded. 
The temperature of the soil at the depth of a foot (30 cm.) 
ranged from 41.5° on the 2d to 48° on the 18th, when it began 
to fall during the period of highest air temperatures, reaching 
40° on the 25th and rising to 43° on the 3oth. 
The new road connecting the driveway system of the garden 
with Pelham Avenue, extending past the northern end of the 
herbaceous garden and southward through the forest, on which 
work was commenced in 1901, was completed and thrown open 
for driving this spring ; a little work still remains to be done in 
trimming up the edges, but particular care was taken not to dis- 
turb existing undergrowth any more than was absolutely neces- 
sary during the construction operations. Plate 14 (see frontis- 
piece) shows this road at the southern boundary of the garden. 
