DEPAKTMENT OF PARKS. ' 109 



Recently this pruning had been done along a line extending 



from Third street entrance to the plaza entrance, round the 

 cast side of the park on Flatbush avenue, reaching nearly to 

 the Willinck entrance, and thence extending inward to the 

 meadows. In some localities quite a number of the injured 

 and over-stocked trees have been removed. This whole 

 section of the park has been much improved in appearance 

 thereby, and the trees will henceforth be developed far better 

 than the}' formerly were. This pruning and trimming of the 

 park will be continued until the whole surface is carefully 

 gone over. Nearly all of the trees in the area, referred to are 

 plantations. In the native woodland there are a number of 

 trees constantly decaying and dying, which will necessarily 

 have to be removed. Forests of every clime bear a striking 

 resemblance to communities in this respect. The strongest 

 and apparently the healthiest trees die, like the men they typify, 

 without any seeming cause. It is a sad thing to find large 

 dead trees standing among living trees. The duty to be per- 

 formed in felling them is not a pleasant one. 



This trimming and pruning out of the trees of the park has 

 been made necessary, for three reasons. 



1st, The health of the trees; 2d, for the sake of beautify- 

 ing the park, and 3d, to prevent immorality. Few persons are 

 aware of the enormous undergrowth that springs up out of the 

 rich soil all about the park, and which, if unchecked in its 

 growth, woitIcI speedily destroy its lines of beauty and turn its 

 loveliness into rank deformity. 



Respectfully submitted, 



JOHN T. HAMILTON, 



General Superintendent 



