ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



903 



WESTERN' APPROACH TO P.AIRD COURT 

 Various species of iris are planted here 



break, this great mass of evergreens and shrubs 

 make an ideal home for nesting birds. Our 

 feathered friends have 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 tc 

 obtain seed from such plants as the highbush 

 huckleberry, arrowwood and black-haw, because 

 the birds get ahead of the men. 



This year the border planting was augmented 

 on the south by a row of Norway maples on 

 1 82d Street, which, 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 preparation in the 

 way of draining and filling. While it is true 

 that some years must elapse before the ever- 

 greens will arrive at perfection, 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 character, such 

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

 varieties as possible have been used, so as to 

 present 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 

 poplars, box elder and soft maples wherever 

 shade was needed at once. In nearly every in- 

 stance, however, permanent trees have been set 

 in close proximity to the others, so that the 

 temporary trees will not be missed when 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 ample spacing is. un- 

 fortunately, often overlooked, and more private 

 and public parks have been spoiled by planting 

 too closely than by not planting enough. 



No special attempt was made to introduce a 

 great number of foreign species, but all of the 



