32 REPORT OF THE 



under the direction of Mr. Felix I. Eben, lender. The music in 

 all its details was entirely satisfactory, and the concerts themselves 



attracted as large gatherings as upon any previous year. 



SMALL PA11RS. 



The work upon the small parks of the city comprises the re- 

 pairing and cleaning of walks and approaches, shelters and 

 buildings, pruning shrubbery, cleaning plantations, cutting of 

 the grass and cleaning of snow from the interior and boundary 

 walks. These sideAvalks, while under the control of the Park 

 Commissioners, are nevertheless entirely devoted to the public 

 use, and their care, in addition to the duty imposed upon us of 

 cleaning snow from the plaza and approaches of the City Hall, 

 form no inconsiderable yearly expenditure for work entirely 

 foreign to legitimate maintenance work of the parks, and for 

 which the limited appropriations at our disposal are hardly 

 applicable. 



As a matter of justice, the sum of $2,500 should be provided 

 additionally fortius purpose. Having necessary machinery, this 

 work can be efficiently done by us, but for want of means it has 

 always been done at the sacrifice of more legitimate interests, 

 and has frequently interfered, as it did last winter, Avith the 

 operations necessary to put the lake in condition for skating. 



During the past season a work of some importance which 

 had long been delayed was accomplished at Fort Greene. The 

 plantations which were crowded, overgrown and disfigured, were, 

 by extensive pruning and thinning out, very much improved in 

 appearance, and a promising development of substantial material 

 secured for the future. This work will be completed in the 

 Spring, and will add very much to the appearance of the park 

 and the comfort and convenience .of visitors. This park is a 

 popular resort in the summer season, and the number of vis- 

 itors entails the necessity of a larger keeper force than it has 

 been heretofore convenient to provide. 



A temporary increase in the keeper force in the Summer 

 months resulted in increasing good order. The large use to 



