268 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



MULTrOMAH FALLS, IN COLrMBlA GORGE, NEAR PORTLAND. 



creation assembly building, lockers and two gymnasia. 

 A concrete swimming pool is embraced in this onttit. 



All equipment is free, including lockers, suits, towels 

 and instruction. Two swimming pools containing about 

 250 and 280 thousand gallons supply the present offer- 

 ings. 



Climatic conditions coupled with our native flora offer 

 possibilities of park treatment not easily duplicated and 

 only comparably executed on the Pacific Coast. 



Bearing in mind that Portland is about three degrees 

 further north than New York City — further north in- 

 deed than Portland, Maine, yet supporting vegetation 

 likel\- to be found in North Carolina, some appreciation 

 of our park vegetation is conceived. 



Two characteristics of Portland parks will be distinct- 

 ly noticeable to visitors from any of the northern tier of 

 states in the East; one that it is the southernmost large 

 city where irrigation is not necessary without all the 

 country side becoming a dreary brown as a consequence 

 of dried herljaceous vegetation and an absence of trees, 

 and the other is the wealth of vegetation cultivated and 

 the distinctiveness of the respective parks in general de- 

 sign, topography and vegetation and architectural sup- 

 plement. 



In -traveling westward the eastern delegation will 

 iib^erve the prairies and their covering of bunch grass 

 and sage brush, the eagles in the air, coyotes and prairie 

 (logs on the ground. When the Cascade mountains are 

 approached, say about Spokane, tree growth will be 

 abundant but the aridness is also conspicuous. Pines 

 predominate here whereas further west it is fir. Under- 

 growth is very sparse and the tree growth is not as dense 

 as further west. After passing the main ridge of the 

 Cascades one emerges at Seattle, Tacoma or Portland, 

 and a greater humidity is evident in the greater density 

 of trees and continuous and thick undergrowth, espe- 

 cially of Salal (Gaultheria Shallow), ferns (Aspidium 

 nuniitum), Oregon grape (Alahonia nervosa and Ma- 

 lionia aquifoliaj and similar plants. 



Rainfall at Portland is substantially the same as at 

 New York City ; one hundred miles west on the coast it 

 is twice as great. Moreover the distribution is different 

 here than east of the Cascades, it being more abundant in 



A -SCENE IN WASHINGTON P.\RK EARLY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH. SHOWING A JAPANESE PLl'.M TKHK IN BLOSSOM. AND 



EDGINGS OF WHITE CROCUS AROUND THE FOUNTAIN. 



