[confidential] 



Since assuming the presidency of the New York Bo- 

 tanical Garden on January 8, 1923, I have endeavored to 

 make a careful study of the Garden's present condition 

 and its future needs and possibilities. In doing this I have 

 conferred with many members of the Board of Managers, 

 the Scientific Directors, the Director-in-Chief and other 

 members of the scientific staff, members of the Women's 

 Auxiliary and of the Corporation, other members of the 

 Garden, and certain individuals who are interested in but 

 not connected with the institution. I have also visited the 

 Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, the Department 

 of Botany of the Field Museum of Natural History, 

 Chicago, the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, and the Brooklyn 

 Botanic Garden, and have conferred with their officials. 

 In all with whom I have talked, without exception, I have 

 found a cordial readiness, not only to discuss the Garden's 

 affairs, but to offer helpful suggestions. I beg to submit 

 herewith the results of such cooperative study. 



The purposes of the Botanical Garden are succinctly and 

 well stated in Section 1 of the Act of Incorporation, passed 

 in 1 89 1, as follows: Various 



, 11. Purposes of the Garden 



named persons and their suc- 

 cessors "are hereby constituted and created a body cor- 

 porate by the name of the New York Botanical Garden, 

 to be located in the city of New York, for the purpose of 

 establishing and maintaining a botanical garden and 

 museum and arboretum therein, for the collection and 

 culture of plants, flowers, shrubs and trees, the advance- 

 ment of botanical science and knowledge, and the prosecu- 

 tion of original researches therein and in kindred subjects, 

 for affording instruction in the same, for the prosecution 

 and execution of ornamental and decorative horticulture 



