with a maximum width of eighty-four feet and a height of forty- 

 six feet to the ridge. From each of these corner houses runs an 

 extension thirty feet wide and seventy-five feet long, which is ter- 

 minated by a square house with cut corners fifty feet in diameter 

 and thirty-five feet high. The range terminates at each end with 

 an extension from this corner house about thirty-eight feet wide 

 and one hundred and three feet long, divided transversely into two 

 equal compartments or houses. The range encloses an oblong 

 rectangular court about three hundred and eighty-six feet long 

 and one hundred and eight feet wide, in which are placed, one 

 on each side of the main walk, two large pools devoted to the 

 display of water-lilies and other aquatic plants. These pools are 

 about one hundred feet long and fifty feet wide. 



The building, which is modernized Italian renaissance in de- 

 sign, stands upon a grass terrace five feet high, approached by 

 six flights of steps, three of these on the north side, the central 

 one of which is broader and terminates in the walk leading to the 

 large dome ; one at each end ; and one on the south side, which 

 is the main entrance, and the only one at which vehicles can ap- 

 proach the foot of the terrace. Entrance to the range can be had 

 only at the north and south sides of the large dome or palm-house. 



The range is heated by steam, supplied from the power-house, 

 located near the railroad on the west side of the grounds. Water 

 is supplied by two systems, one for hot and the other for cold, 

 each water-faucet having a connection with both systems, so that 

 it is possible to supply water at whatever temperature is required. 



The collections assembled here were acquired in the main by 

 gift or exchange in the early stages of installation, while lately 

 large additions have been made through exploring expeditions 

 sent out by the Garden. There are now about ten thousand 

 plants contained in the fifteen houses, representing, with those 

 which cultural conditions require us to keep at the propagating 

 houses at certain periods, about two hundred families, thirteen 

 hundred genera and over seven thousand species. 



It is intended that each plant shall have a show label. Many 

 thousands of these labels have already been placed in position, 

 and this work is being actively and continuously carried on. 



