ZOOI.()(;it'AL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



903 



WESTERN Al'l'KOACII TO BAIRD COIRT 

 Various species of iris arc planted here 



break, this <;reat mass of evergreens and shrubs 

 make an ideal home for nesting birds. Our 

 feathered friends liave not been slow to take 

 advantage of it, and may often be seen feeding 

 in great numbers on the berries of the various 

 shrubs. It is a fact that it is often impossible to 

 obtain seed from such plants as the highbush 

 huckleberry, arrowwood and black-haw. because 

 the birds get ahead of the men. 



This year tlie border planting was augmented 

 on the south by a row of Norway maples on 

 ]82d .Street, wliich, for the most part, is ele- 

 vated considerably above the Park itself, and 

 consequently will show off the planting to great 

 advantage. 



Only those acquainted with the ground before 

 1 904 can realize that all of our planting re- 

 quired an immense amount of jireparation in the 

 way of draining and filling. A\Tiile it is true 

 that some years must elapse before the ever- 

 greens will arrive at )ierfection. no one will dis- 

 pute the fact that even now the border planting 

 is a conspicuous and welcome feature, and of 

 very great advantage to the Park. 



For the shade plantings along the walks and 



roads, and in the various corrals and ranges, de- 

 ciduous trees were, of course, used in most in- 

 stances. Preference has always been given to 

 American trees of a permanent cliaracter, such 

 as the oaks, the elms, ashes, etc. As many 

 varieties as possible have been used, so as to 

 jiresent all the types that are available. It must 

 not be understood that no quickly growing trees 

 were planted, for we have not hesitated to use 

 (joplars, box elder and soft maples wlierevcr 

 shade was needed at once. In nearly every in- 

 stance, however, permanent trees have been set 

 in dose iiroximity to the others, so that tlie 

 tcnijiorary trees will not be missed wlicn they 

 are finally removed. 



Except in two cases, that of Audubon Court 

 and Baird Court, straight lines were carefully 

 avoided, and all the trees were spaced .so as to 

 give ample opportunity for their full develop- 

 ment. The importance of am))le spacing is, un- 

 fortunately, often overlooked, and more jirivate 

 and public parks have been spoiled by planting 

 too closely tlian by not ])lanting enongli. 



No special attempt was made to introduce a 

 great number of foreign species, but all of the 



