TENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 71 



tity of top soil, and was planted with about a thousand shrubs of 

 native species. 



The whole centre and southern half of Audubon Court — • 

 bounded by the Reptile House, Mountain Sheep Hill, the Antelope 

 House, and Ostrich House — w'as carefully worked over, graded, 

 seeded, and sodded as necessary. The existing group of trees 

 and bushes occupying the centre of the Court was considerably 

 enlarged, and the new area was planted with rhododendrons, 

 azaleas, kalmias, and a few fancy evergreens. 



The existing grove in front of the Reptile House w^as extended 

 southward and westward by the addition of dogwood, hornbeam, 

 hop tree, and other species. 



Along Beaver Valley Walk the planting done was particularly 

 successful. Owing to the excellent shelter, and also shade, it 

 w^as possible to introduce several large masses of broad-leaved 

 evergreen shrubs. The stock secured for this area proved to be ex- 

 cellent, and consisted chiefly of 1,700 rhododendrons, representing 

 three native species, and about 2,000 kalmias. These large masses 

 were bordered with leucothe, yellow root, galyx, etc., liberally 

 interspersed with Liliiiin canadensis, philadelphica, and siiperbum. 

 The hillside east of the Restaurant was covered with mountain 

 laurel, while the low grounds were partly filled with magnolias. 

 In addition to this several thousand of such attractive perennials 

 as wake-robin, blood-root, and lobelias, and about five hundred 

 ferns were used there. We expect to carry this scheme along 

 the sides of the Jungle Walk, and to have this whole section 

 teeming with flowers from early spring to late fall. 



The condition of all our plantings is entirely satisfactory, but 

 it was only by a great amount of mulching and watering that 

 the newly planted stock was carried through one extremely threat- 

 ening period. During two weeks in May and the entire month of 

 June we had hardly any rainfall, and to save the new plantings 

 three gangs of men w'ere continuously kept at watering, often in 

 relays, and working all night. Through this and through care- 

 ful mulching, for which purpose we fortunately had on hand 

 an ample supply of manure, the loss in the entire planting for 

 the year amounted to only one and one-tenth per cent. In view 

 of the fact that in large plantings of conifers the most conserva- 

 tive nurserymen warned us to expect a loss of ten per cent, the 

 record named above speaks highly for the Chief Forester and 

 his force. 



Excavating and Filling. — A tree-trench 4 feet deep and 16 feet 

 wide, extending from the north end of the Lion House to the 



