585 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
FLORA OF LINCOLN PARK, CHICAGO 
The illustrated guide to Lincoln 
Park, Chicago, written by Former Su- 
perintendent AI. H. West, and re- 
viewed in these pages last month, 
gives much interesting information 
about the varied and interesting flora 
of the park. 
Many of the specimens are now for- 
eign to that locality, for the trees and 
shrubs which once thrived in the sand 
dunes no longer find conditions pro- 
pitious for growth. The soil of the 
park having been brought in from the 
prairie is naturally clayey and tena- 
cious in composition, and being en- 
rich.ed l)y the repeated cuttings of the 
lawns and by applied fertilizers, and 
being freely underdrained with the 
natural sand, forms a soil of no mean 
character. Tree life, however, is 
forced to combat conditions which 
make luxuriant growth well-nigh im- 
possible. The prevailing winds from 
the southwest carry the smoke and 
gas from the city over the park, fill- 
ing the stomata of the leaves and 
causing suffocation, while the winter 
winds from the northeast off the lake 
stunt the growth of plants of more 
tender nature. Weakened by these 
conditions the trees and shrubs are 
readily attacked by insect enemies 
which always thrive on diseased vege- 
table life, and are particularly prolific 
where native insectivorous birds are 
few. More dangerous than all these 
to plant life, however, are the people 
who throng the lawns and who are 
prone to trample on the tender plants 
and break down shrubbery. Alto- 
gether, these conditions make the 
work of the gardener in l.incoln Park 
discouraging, 3"et against these odds 
the flora of the park has been con- 
stantly increased. The forms which 
have been found hardy have been 
placed in well chosen positions on the 
lawns, bringing about a landscape 
composition as well as a variety of 
bloom and beauty in arrangement. 
Recently steps have been taken to 
establish for the benefit of the stu- 
dent of botanj" an arboretum in the 
region of the conservatories. Trees, 
shrubs and perennials already existing 
have been carefully labeled and new 
varieties are being introduced in such 
a way as not to mar the landscape ef- 
fect. 
Among the trees, perhaps the most 
conspicuous and useful of all is the 
American elm (Ulmus Americana) 
found native throughout the region, 
and which, despite the elements which 
conspire against it, grows to no mean 
dimensions. Several ereditable speci- 
mens are to be found on the grounds. 
.Another tree native to the region is 
the cottonwood { Populus deltoides). 
THE Tjr.Y POND, DINCODN PARK, CHICAGO. 
