Vol. VI. 



82.00 a Year. 

 24 Numbers. 



CHICAGO, JANUARY i, 1898. 



Single Copy 

 10 Cents. 



No. 128. 



WINTER SCENE IN CONSERVATORY AT WASHINGTON PARK. CHICAGO. 



The Greenhouse. 



PARK GREENHOUSES. 

 The, extensive greenhouse structures 

 attached to most park systems are too 

 often employed as mere storage places. 

 It is true that many of the rare plants 

 required to embellish the grounds during 

 the warmer seasons must find proper 

 shelter in winter; but this can be done in 

 such a manner as will provide proper pro- 

 tection, and at the same time a fibril the 

 public fitting pleasure and recreation in 

 leturn for the expense of maintaining its 



property in healthy condition. In the 

 construction of these park greenhouses, 

 care should be taken to provide paths 

 sufficiently wide to accomodate a goodly 

 concourse of people without serious 

 inconvenience to either plants or em- 

 ployes, and then it becomes a simple mat- 

 ter to arrange the plants so as to form 

 effective groups or show individual 

 characteristics. 



The cost of public greenhouses has be- 

 come so great in many cities that the tax- 

 payers are inclined to insist on a better 

 return from their expenditures than has 

 been forthcoming in t lie usual summer 

 display. And why not! J The material is 

 at hand and should be employed to the 



fullest extent. It must, however, be said 

 that some parks are making rapid pro- 

 gress in this matter, and doubtless many 

 .more will soon follow their example. 

 Among others the Washington park at 

 Chicago has made wonderful strides in 

 the onward march, and we are pleased to 

 present herewith some winter scenes in 

 the greenhouses at that place which go 

 to show what can be done when the work 

 is taken earnestly in hand. Here we have 

 palms, bamboos, dracsenas, phormiums, 

 pandanuses, ferns, rubber plants, cacti, 

 succulents — but the variety is endless. 

 Look at the immense number of plants 

 which can be turned to account for deco- 

 rative purposes rather than huddled 



