ANNUAL REPORT OF HEAD GARDENER FROM JANUARY 1, 1914, 
TO DECEMBER 31, 1914. 
Mr. C. H. Meeds, 
Park Engineer. 
Dear Sir: 
A condensed report for a year on the horticultural work in the 
parks must necessarily show very few of the many interesting details, 
but the following is an endeavor to show the main points of the work. 
Great care has been taken to thoroughly prepare the soil before 
planting, and to have the planting done with proper care. The loss 
due to poor digging in the nursery, careless handling and improper 
planting has been considerably less than 1%. Tree borers were 
exceedingly troublesome during the past summer and made necessary 
the replacement of a considerable number of trees. 
An endeavor is being made to increase the number of species of 
shrubs and trees in the park nursery. The number of species and 
varieties now on hand is about 400. 
A start has been made in raising a number of herbaceous peren- 
nials, especially such as flower during late summer after the vast 
majority of woody plants have ceased flowering. About 5,000 plants 
of various species were raised at Mt. Airy during the season. 
The stock in the park nursery has been kept up through propa- 
gation by seeds and cuttings, and by purchase of small plants and 
young trees. Since three years are usually necessary to raise a shrub 
to planting size, and a longer period for trees, the park lands likely 
to be planted three or more years from now have been kept in mind 
and the main restocking of the nursery made of plants best suited for 
these plantings. 
Following is a condensed list of the plantings in the various parks, 
completed to December 15, 1914: 
AUBURN TRIANGLE. 
178 shrubs and trees. New planting with considerable loss, mainly 
due to injury by public. 
BLUE ROCK OVAL. 
36 shrubs and trees. Replacement planting, trees injured by 
borers. 
COLLEGE HILL TOWN HALL. 
1917 shrubs and trees. Entirely new planting. 
