1876.] 'J-i^^ [Price. 



Nor have we failed to think of the boys and girls of future times, and 

 have jilanted and provided for the plantinj; of the nuts of the Shellbark 

 Hickory, large and small, English and black Walnuts, Chestnuts and Chin - 

 copins; the Nutmeg Pine. 



Many of the above varieties of acorns and tree seeds have been supplied 

 through Samuel Davenport to four Provinces of Australia, to wit : Vic- 

 toria, Tasmania, Queensland, and New South Wales ; and also to Dr. 

 Schomburgk, of Adelaide, S. A.; to the Pliillipine Islands, through Mr. 

 Sebastian Vidal, Spanish Commissioner for the preservation of the forests 

 of those islands ; to Japan, through Rev. E. R. Beadle. The supply of 

 acorns and tree seeds has been procured without any cost to any public or 

 trust fund. 



The Park Commission have received from Mr. Jacob Hoffner, of Cin- 

 cinnati, Ohio, a Sago Palm, now in Horticultural Hall, formerly owned by 

 Robert Morris and Henry Pratt, when they owned Lemon Hill, which 

 plant is now supposed to be about 130 years old. 



It is in* this Centennial year that the artistic planting of the Park 

 has fairly begun ; and with the stock of trees on hand in the nursery, with 

 moderate additions for the sake of variety, the formation of the landscapes 

 may steadily proceed, without any serious expenditure, toward? completion, 

 as far as such work will admit of completion ; for always old trees must 

 decay, to be replaced by those that are both young and new. To fail to 

 meet the annual expenditure for such purpose would be to fail to realize 

 two great purposes of acquiring the Park, namely, the health and enjoy- 

 ment of the people, and the increase of the resources of taxation com- 

 mensurately with the interest of the capital invested in the Park. The 

 Park must both be kept beautiful and attractive and the purit}' of the water 

 supply preserved, or we become delinquent in performing a great duty 

 towards our City, State and Country. 



Fault has been found for delay in planting trees in the Park. This com- 

 plaint is partly to be answered, if not fully, by the fact that it was neces- 

 sary first to purchase the lands in the Park from many owners, including 

 building lots in six village plots, necessarily a work of time, and after the 

 purchases the ground had to be, and is yet to be, planned, graded, and 

 avenues opened, before it could be known where to plant trees ; and the 

 Centennial International Exhibition necessarily caused delay in planning 

 the West Park. There has been such delay during which it is to be re- 

 gretted trees have not been growing ; but that regret will be lessened when 

 we reflect that the planning and planting can now go on rapidly, and be 

 adapted to the buildings and gardens in the exhibition grounds with now 

 an adequate supply of trees at command, and competent skill employed for 

 planning and landscape gardening. These advantages will probably com- 

 pensate for the loss by delay; and, indeed, more than compensate for them. 

 Let us now proceed with such earnestness that the era of our Park's great 

 improvements shall date from our National Centennial Year. 



Eli K. Price, Chairman, Sfc. 



