312 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



through an archway in the manufactories and liberal arts building and 

 continues on east through the main east and west valley of the woodland. 

 From this main drive, branch other drives, which reach various parts of 

 the woods, going past points of interest or to places commanding good 

 views. They can best be studied on the ground in connection with the 

 map. The roads can be constructed on easy grades with the moving of a 

 comparatively small amount of earth. Their drainage, as well as the 

 drainage of the land on either side, can be taken care of by surface flow 

 through shallow depressions covered with sod or other hardy growth. We 

 think it will be unnecessary to construct walks through the woods at the 

 present time. If they should become necessary in the future, they can be 

 constructed where their need is indicated by the lines of greatest travel. 



In that part of the grounds devoted to exposition buildings, walks are 

 indicated, but, as many of the buildings have not yet been designed, many 

 modifications will undoubtedly be necessary. We have aimed, by the 

 various drives and walks, to make all buildings easily accessible over 

 direct and easy grades. 



In regard to the planting, we think that the boundaries of the grounds 

 should generally be screened, that is, trees and shrubs should be planted 

 so as to shut out the fences and outside buildings. Planting should be 

 done to connect the various buildings with their sites. All steep sur- 

 faces, like the outer grade of the race track, should be covered with a 

 woody growth. Walks and drives should be shaded with trees. This is 

 especially true of cement walks which have a disagreeable glare on bright 

 sunny days, unless shaded. Some low planting can be done within the 

 race track without interfering in any way with a view of the races. It 

 will not be necessary to plant many additional trees through the eastern 

 part of the grounds, but, taken as a whole, one should be able to find, 

 somewhere within the boundaries, specimens of all the trees and shrubs 

 that are hardy in the state of Iowa. The grounds are so beautiful and 

 contain so many objects of interest, that it seems to us they should be 

 used throughout the year as a park. Such use is made of the fair grounds 

 at Toronto, which are, in fact, under control of the Park Commissioners, 

 with the exception of a short period previous to and extending through 

 fair time. The woods within the limits of the fair grounds at Des 

 Moines include many fine specimens of elms, lindens, oaks of various 

 kinds, hackberries, black walnuts, Kentucky coffee trees, thorn apples, 

 butternuts and hickories. The number of specimens can undoubtedly be 

 increased with additional planting. It is as important to preserve cer- 

 tain open spaces to show views, foliage and buildings, as it is to do the 

 planting. The finished plans will indicate what we recommend. 



In addition to the drives and walks already referred to, we have in- 

 dicated the line of an electric railroad. It seems to us that, if during 

 fair time, electric cars could be run around a loop partly located within 

 the fair grounds, with stations at different points, much congestion could 

 be avoided both at the time of entering and at the time of leaving the 

 grounds. For instance, if cars approaching the grounds could follow the 

 line, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, passengers could get off at A, E, G, 



