30H 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
Improvements at Niagara Falls. 
A plan of outdoor improvement for the town of 
Niagara Falls, N. Y., somewhat similar in scope and 
methods to that so successfully carried out at Day- 
ton, Ohio, has been inaugurated by the Natural Food 
Company, of Niagara Falls. Recognizing the ad- 
vantages of that city for landscape gardening and 
general improvement, the company has established a 
conservatory and a landscape garden department, and 
furnishes at its own expense flower and annual vine 
seeds to all who wish to make use of them. 
They have ofifered a series of more than 40 prizes for 
work in th.e following lines of outdoor improvement : 
other places, it is intended to so time this flower show 
at Niagara as to include the best exhibits from the 
other cities, thus making a state school children’s show. 
Another feature of the work which will be full of 
interest is the children's playground, which the com- 
pany has estalrlished on its ])roperty just opposite the 
conservatory. This is located on the old Col. Porter 
homestead property and has the Niagara river as a 
boundary on one side and their building on the other. 
It is about five acres in extent and is located in the 
heart of the residence section of the city. This has 
been set aside for the exclusive use of the children and 
PUBLIC PLAYGROUND GIVEN TO NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y., BY THE NATURAL FOOD CO. 
h'ront, side and back yards, ten prizes; vine planting, 
ten prizes ; window and porch boxes, six prizes ; boys’ 
vegetable gardens, eight prizes ; vacant lots, five 
jirizes ; school yards and a special offer to school chil- 
dren for the best displays of different kinds of flowers 
grown from seeds furnished by the company on con- 
dition that they give part of the flowers they raise to 
the Memorial Hospital. 
It is the intention this summer or early autumn to 
hold a flower show, at which time they will have dis- 
plays from the various childrens’ gardens, and the 
prizes will be awarded on that basis. As this work is 
also carried on in the various cities of the state, as in 
Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and numerous 
is equipped with every convenience for an up-to-date 
playground, such as base ball field, croquet, loo-yard 
cinder track, swings, lawn hockev, ' see saws, rope 
wheel, sand piles and nume''Ous other features. 
The company has this year distributed 10,000 pack- 
ages of seeds to the children of Niagara Falls, who 
are reported to be taking up the work with great en- 
thusiasm. An attractive little booklet has been is- 
sued, showing views of work done in Dayton, Ohio, 
and two views of similar work at Niagara Falls. It f 
contains a detailed list of the prizes offered, and many | 
valuable practical directions for improvement work- 
under the titles of “Hints for Planting,’’ and “Meth- i 
ods of Work.” The book can be bad on application. ] 
