54 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in the principal parks and in the winter gardens at Glasgow Green, and 

 here again, judging by the attendances, the public appreciate the 

 performances. 



While local bands supply the majority of performances, the 

 Corporation engage some of the leading military bands from London, 

 as well as other noted bands in England. By Act of Parliament 

 the Corporation can spend up to £4,000 a year on music. 



Recreations. 



ine increasing demand for means of outdoor recreation and 

 amusement in the public parks has received much serious and careful 

 consideration from the Committee of Management. The tendency 

 is towards more and larger areas for active games, especially foot- 

 ball. Unfortunately, the devotees of that most excellent game are 

 not always sportsmen, and their actions and language are frequently 

 objectionable ; while the amenities of a park are very materially 

 affected by an excess of football play. Why there should be more 

 undesirable features connected with the playing of football than 

 in other games has always been to me a puzzling question. The 

 same cannot be said of cricket, golf, or hockey, though all require 

 large areas for play. The restricted areas required for croquet, 

 tennis, and bowling are much more easily met. 



In regard to football, provision has been made for fifty-two pitches. 

 For cricket, which is not such a popular game in Scotland as football, 

 there are six pitches in four parks only. On the other hand, bowling 

 is extremely popular, and thirty-eight greens are distributed in fifteen 

 parks. Tennis courts are provided in several, but the demand is 

 limited, while for croquet it is even less. 



One feature peculiar to the west of Scotland is the provision of 

 ponds in public parks for the sailing of model yachts, and seven of 

 our parks are equipped with these. 



As the shipbuilding industry is one of supreme importance on 

 the Clyde, the sailing of yachts for pleasure or racing was in pre-war 

 days one of the most popular recreations during the summer months. 

 The desire to sail model yachts is a reflex of the sport by those who 

 are unable to enjoy the full-fledged game, and consequently many 

 artisans build model yachts to scale and sail them in the ponds of 

 our public parks, having regular clubs who hold regattas and race 

 their boats for prizes. The small boy has not, therefore, got it all 

 his own way with the ponds. All games are under regulation, as 

 the aim is to give every section of the community a fair share of 

 enjoyment in their own particular sport. Unfortunately we have 

 not yet boating ponds, though we trust such will be provided in 

 the near future. 



Gymnastic appliances are provided in all parks to a greater or 

 less extent, while a few possess well-equipped open-air gymnasia. 



