21 



room on the first floor, a change made necessary when the 

 steam-heating plant for the Mansion was installed last autumn. 



Mrs. Steven 1!. Ayres, for the Garden Committee, reported 

 $1,000 in the hands of the General Treasurer. Henry Clews; 

 but it was deemed inadvisable on account of world conditions, 

 to proceed further with the work at this time. 



Hon. Victor Hugo Paltsits, Chairman of the Committee 

 on Literature and Books, made the following report : 



The Committee on Literature and Books, of which I am both 

 chairman and the sole member, has done nothing in the direct 

 line of its functions. Owing to the lack of funds, it has been 

 inexpedient to reorganize the Society's library. It is, how- 

 ever, desirable that some action be taken by the Society, look- 

 ing to the authorization of this committee, under the advice 

 of the Council, for weeding out undesirable books, etc. ; dis- 

 posing of them by exchange or otherwise, and fixing upon a 

 policy with respect to the kind of printed matter that the 

 Society should retain and in future collect. I have conferred 

 with Dr. Britton on several occasions in this matter. It is our 

 judgment that the Society ought to confine itself to collecting 

 materials pertinent to The Bronx. But before any definite 

 steps can be taken, provision must be made for proper shelving 

 in one of the rooms of the Mansion and rules ought to be 

 drawn up for the administration and use of the library. 



As chairman of the Drake Memorial Committee, entrusted 

 by the Society with the publication of the next number of 

 Proceedings, which shall include the papers, etc., of the Drake 

 Celebration, I have the honor to report that the Council has 

 already been signalized with respect to the need of funds, 

 amounting to about three hundred dollars, for the prosecution 

 of this object. A number of persons in this State and in other 

 States have asked when the Drake proceedings would be avail- 

 able. Inquiry has also been made by Dean Bouton in regard 

 to the publication of his paper. It is my recommendation that 

 funds be provided, so that the publication can be made next 

 autumn or early next winter. Nothing" short of the full 



