( 42i ) 



ward as rapidly as weather conditions will allow, and prob- 

 ably can be completed by midsummer. 



The grading in front of the museum building carried out 

 under the provisions of the contract of the Park Department 

 with the Wilson & I >uillie Manufacturing Company, was com- 

 pleted under the terms of the contract, during the summer; 

 the additional work needed here, including regulating and 

 topsoiling the new surfaces, was at once taken up and com- 

 pleted, with the exception of topsoiling a small area in front 

 of the east pavilion of the museum ; it is planned to finish 

 this and to bring the entire front surroundings of the building 

 into lawn, early in the spring. 



An area of about an acre south of the driveway in front of 

 the museum building was regulated, graded, topsoiled and 

 sown, during the autumn. 



The area west and northwest of the public conservatories, 

 comprising about six acres, was regulated, graded, topsoiled 

 and sown, during the season. 



Numerous small areas adjoining driveways and paths, at 

 points where the work could be economically carried on, 

 were also completed. 



It now seems probable that all the remaining space denuded 

 in construction operations, between the museum building, 

 the herbaceous garden, and the approach to the Elevated 

 Railroad station, can be brought to approximately finished 

 surfaces and most of it restored to lawn during 1903. 



Grading operations contingent upon the building of drive- 

 ways and paths north and northeast of the museum building, 

 in the northern part of the Garden, were commenced during 

 the summer and have been continually prosecuted. A large 

 amount of earth for filling the marshy areas was obtained 

 from J. P. McDonald, being dumped by him from his tem- 

 porary railway which crosses the Garden at a point conve- 

 nient for distribution. The surplus stone from excavations in 

 front of the museum building has been broken into proper 

 size for the Telford foundation of roads and paths, and is 

 being hauled to the northern part of the grounds. This 



