72 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



the Director and Mr. F. H. Kennard, of Boston, as president and 

 vice-president of the Bison Society to go to Kalispell, Montana, 

 where they purchased 34 pure-blood bison, from the famous 

 Conrad herd, to constitute the nucleus of the new national herd. 



The animals were safely delivered in the range at Ravalli 

 on October 17 ; and thus closed the series of events that rendered 

 the Montana National Bison Herd an accomplished fact. 



The close proximity of Kalispell to the proposed Glacier 

 National Park prompted the bison-purchase committee to make a 

 short trip of inspection and inquiry into that wonderland of 

 grand mountains, lakes, glaciers, fine forests and big game. 



GROUND IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE WORK OF THE DEPART- 

 MENT OF FORESTRY AND CONSTRUCTION 



Hermann W. Merkel, Chief Forester and Constructor. 



The principal item of work in Ground Improvements during 

 the year 1909 was the grading and planting around the Con- 

 course at the north end of Baird Court. Plans for this were 

 made by the Chief Forester during the winter, and approved by 

 the Executive Committee and the Landscape Architect of the 

 City of New York. The actual work began about April 1, and 

 was carried out to a successful conclusion by the time the plant- 

 ing season was over. 



This work called for a great amount of top soil, all of which 

 had to be of sufficiently good quality to keep a large number of 

 plants of expensive kinds in good condition. Altogether, two 

 thousand cubic yards of soil were used, the most of which we 

 were able to purchase for about twelve and a half cents per yard, 

 by taking the utmost advantage of excavation and grading work 

 outside the Park. 



The plants were purchased from various nurseries in New 

 York, the New England States, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North 

 Carolina. They represent an outlay of about $4,000.00, and an 

 endless amount of inspection and bargaining on the part of the 

 Chief Forester. A careful watch was kept, both in the nurseries 

 and in the Park, for any trace of such noxious insects as the 

 brown-tail and gypsy moth, or dangerous scale insects. 



Very little additional work remains to be done at the Con- 

 course. It is generally conceded that this work more than justi- 

 fies the outlay of time and money devoted to it, and that in a few 

 years, when the new plants have attained good growth, we will 



