Rl ats nS RS aS Re aE SRN Nahant ngs a ena Ee Nat oe Gee 
EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 41 
be between $2,000.00 and $3,000.00. For the second year, the trees and 
shrubs needed for the tract could be wholly or partly planted, according 
to the plan, involving an expenditure of something under $5,000.00. For 
the third year, the herbaceous plants needed for the completion of the 
scheme could be planted, rock work and smaller ponds needed for the 
growth of certain classes of plants provided, and the general surface of 
the ground smoothed and seeded to blue grass. In the following year, 
the drives, or so much of them as the available funds would allow, could 
be made, so that within a period of five years, for an annual expenditure 
of perhaps $5,000.00, the entire ground could be improved and planted. 
These figures are entirely rough estimates, but I think that they represent 
with approximate accuracy the cost of getting the grounds in suitable 
condition. The annual maintenance of this tract, which in size would 
about equal the arboretum or the entire remainder of the present garden, 
including the fruticetum, vegetable garden and private grounds, has not 
been carefully figured out, but since it is proposed to cultivate in it 
only hardy plants, doing away with the necessity for the annual propa- 
gation of thousands of tender bedding plants, and since there will be 
large areas of lawn, so situated as to be capable of mowing by horse 
power, the cost of maintenance will fall very far below that of the 
present garden, probably calling for the employment of not to exceed 
five men, or an expenditure of somewhere from $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 
per year. 
In the meantime, say in 1897, if money could be spared for that pur- 
pose, it would be desirable to extend the greenhouse built in 1894 to the 
eastward, by an expenditure of $3,000.00 to $4,000.00, and in the follow- 
ing year the old and dilapidated little plant house standing obliquely 
between the agave house and the house of 1894 should be removed, and 
the latter house extended to the westward at an expense of from $3,000.00 
to $4,000.00 additional. 
By the time that the United States synoptical grounds were completed, 
and the trees and shrubs beginning to develop fairly, it would be desir- 
able to suitably fence it on the east, south and west limits. For the east, 
I should suggest continuing the stone coping with iron pickets from the 
herbarium building to the grounds now occupied by the lodge, from this 
point securing the inclosure by the same style of fencing with overhang- 
ing wires that has been used between the arboretum and fruticetum and 
along the north end of the arboretum. 
In about six years, this having been done, should the funds of the 
Board be materially increased, it would be practicable to begin the con- 
struction of a large palm house, for which provision has been made in 
* the proposed United States synoptical strip, that being the most suitable 
site which can be found for such a house, since it is contiguous to Tower 
Grove Park, and will be suitably exposed to view from both Tower Grove 
and Magnolia Avenues. Such a house, built on the plans which I have 
been roughly preparing for a number of years, will cost, when completed, 
not far from $75,000.00, of which perhaps $40,000.00 can be used at first, 
the other expenditure to be made within the succeeding years in sums of 
