During the 1997-98 academic year, volunteers once again contributed a tremendous amount of energy to the Botanic Garden. We rely heavily on their participation and offer our deepest thanks. The volunteers enable us to accomplish so much, and we are proud to have such a wonderful group associated with the Garden.
    Volunteers worked on our Site Index Seminum, filling over 150 seed orders from other botanic gardens around the world. Don't even ask how many seeds that might be! If you have come to the Bulb or Chrysanthemum Shows, Illumination Night, or other events, you've seen the volunteers serving as hosts and greeting you with smiling faces in the Conservatory. They offer a wealth of knowledge about the Conservatory and we are particularly indebted to the volunteer tour guides for the hours they devote to leading groups through the Conservatory and outdoor gardens. Over 2,400 children and adults received tours from our enthusiastic group this year. The response from teachers and students is always appreciative. Another important project in which we have engaged the volunteers is the counting and surveying of visitors to the Conservatory-no small task (see some of the statistics on page 15).