16 
Annual Report 
After snpplying the parks, the department furnished" the 
pubhc schools having room for plants, the fire depart- 
ments, the workhouse and other city institutions amply with 
flowers, and as there was still remaining a quantity of plants, 
the foreman at the greenhouse was instructed to distribute them 
among the poor families of the city calling for same, that 
they might embellish their homes and surroundings. This, 
as a matter of fact, would produce a pleasing and embellished 
condition for those who could in no other way avail them- 
selves of the pleasure of possessing flowers or plants. Re- 
ports received by this oflice prove that plants thus given away 
were a source of great happiness, especially to mothers and 
little children. 
One of the new features in the floricultural department 
was the growing of large quantities of water-lilies. There 
were placed in the lakes at Eden, Washington and Lincoln 
parks the newest and best-tested, varieties of Victoria, 
Nymphsea and Nelumbium, as well as such plants as water 
hyacinth and parrott's feather — thus giving this department 
a rare and beautiful collection of aquatics. The Victoria regia 
at the basin in the greenhouse did much better than usual, 
blooming constantly from July to late fall. With careful 
attention this year these aquatics will become one of the 
striking features of the floricultural department from this 
time on. 
A list of the different varieties of plants, trees, shrubs, etc., 
purchased during the past year follows : 
Orchids — 
Cattleya citrina 
" Trianae 
" Schroederae 
" speciossima 
" Percivaliana 
" Skinneri 
labiata 
" Mossise 
" Gaskelliana 
gigos 
chrysotoxa 
Harrisoniae 
