SECRETARY'S REPORT 151 



MAINTENANCE, CONSTRUCTION, AND GROUNDS 



The mechanical division has the responsibility for the maintenance 

 and repair of the buildings and facilities of the National Zoological 

 Park. This responsibility is met by the heating and ventilating sec- 

 tion and by the building section which, in addition to continuing 

 maintenance, constructs new shelters, paddocks, and cages for the 

 animals. 



Considerable work was done on the monkey house this year. The 

 wooden partitions and floors in the inside cages were rebuilt, new 

 shifting doors installed, and inside and outside cages painted. New 

 doors were built and installed at the building's entrance. The reloca- 

 tion of the Connecticut Avenue-Harvard Street road necessitated the 

 installation of fences for visitor safery and animal protection. The 

 small stone house for hoofed stock, back of the small mammal house, 

 was remodeled to make it suitable for camels. One of the large alliga- 

 tor cages on the north end of the reptile house was remodeled and 

 now is provided with radiant heat in the floor to make it more com- 

 fortable for the Komodo dragon. The small waterfowl pond behind 

 the main bear line was remodeled as an exhibit area for the Komodo 

 dragon and the Malayan monitors during the summer months. 



Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and painters are constantly at 

 work keeping the old buildings in a decent state of repair. One of 

 the year's tasks was to build a crate for a full-grown giraffe. 



Work of the grounds division included the planting of 107 trees 

 (some of them flowering), 63 shrubs, 78 evergreens, and various bulbs 

 and annuals. These were planted along the new road, on banks near 

 the shop, and throughout the Zoo lawns. Other projects included 

 seeding new areas where contractors had been working on the road; 

 seeding of deer paddocks, which had never before had grass; making 

 several new flowerbeds; renewing the soil and preparing a special me- 

 dium for the Komodo dragon's outdoor cage; gathering forage and 

 grass clippings for animal food; filling in holes in lawns and walk- 

 ways; and cutting of perches desired for birds and animals. The 

 ground division also cut back branches overhanging bridle paths and 

 cleared horse trails along the fence line; removed dead wood from 

 195 trees over walks, roads, and public areas; felled 92 trees that were 

 dead or in bad condition; cut 49 unsightly stumps from Zoo lawns 

 with the aid of a stump chipper borrowed from the U.S. Army, 

 Cameron Station, Va. ; moved snow and ice from sidewalks and build- 

 ing steps; sprayed bees' nests to protect the public from stings; and 

 helped other departments in the Zoo with the Skyworker. Gifts of 

 plants were received from the District Waterworks, Botanical Gar- 

 den, Bureau of Standards, Glendale Nursery, Walter Reed Hospital, 

 Naval Hospital, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and the management of 

 the annual Flower and Garden Show. 



