The evening times., 1896-03-21
Flowers Will Soon Bloom in
WashingtOn's Many Parks.
PREPARING THE GROUND
The Tropical Plants VIII Not Be Put
in the Earth Until June-Thtrty
by Early Planting House
Ground. Receive Much Attention.

beautlIuuy HoOtnlug 1loWeTs, stdtely sldue
trees and carpet OF green are the PRIDE
OF every resident. Looking down upon
the city from the top of the Washington
Monument is like viewing from mountain
top vast park below, here and there dot.
ted by a few buildings.
IT is scene of nature that presents
Itself to view. not scene of hustle and
business. Washington city has often been
called park made up OF numerous smaller
PARKS. So it is. 1t is composed OF 30l
separate reservations under government
control, aggrcgating a total area of i05.0S
acres.
With the opening OF the spring season
comes the care Of washington's grass and
flower plots. They are all to be cleaned
and put In thorough order. The tropical
plants, which appear resplendant in gor.
geous hues in the summer, Were taken up
In the fall and must he replanted in the
late spring or early summer.
Last year an attempt WAS made to plant
them in May l, proved too early. and
80 900 plants Were nipped by the frost and
killed. This year the tropical plants Will
not be placed outdoors until some time in
June.
SOWING THE SEED.
OF course the tulips and hyacinths are
already in the ground, and In few weeks
will put forth blossoms and fill the air
with fragrance.
As soon as the earth becomes drier the
workmen will begin the cleaning of the
plats. the rakng off of rubbish, and in some
instances the sowing of grass seed and sod
ding. This work has to be done every year
and costs no small sum.
The White House grounds are the pret-
tiest. Here gravel walks must be looked
after and placed in good condition for the
summer Saturday evening promenade.
The statues and monuments form no small
part of the interesting features of the
parks, and are cleaned off every spring,
while the fountains and fountain-basins
are also subject to a thorough cleansing. In
the White House lot are any number of trees,
exotic Towering and foliaged plants, and
the lawn surfaces have been planted with
groups of ornamental and deciduOus trees
and shrubs.
The White House lot contains So acres,
and thenex t in size isthe eMonumentgrounds,
with 7S acres. In the latter are located the
propagating garden, carp ponds, aud lakes.
1t will be number of years yet before the
Monument grounds will be clothed in the Gle
ments OF natural beauty found in the other
reservations.
CARE OF THE CAPITOL GROUNDS.
In addition tothe regular arparksandplat
care of Col. John NJ. Wilson there is the
Capitol grounds, the Agricultural grounds
and the newly laid off grass plats around
the Library building. The three last named
are under the jurisdiction of separate heads
and receive separate attention. 1t is need
less to say, however, that work is already
under way for their Identification for this
spring and summer.
The grass plats around the new Library
will present a rich appearance and great
care has already been taken with the sowing
of the seed TO insure an early and pretty crop
Of grass.
Around the Capitol the shrubbery has put
forth some little buds, and one shrub which
the public views first in the parks will not
be behind time this year. 1t has yellow
flowers, and the unique part OF Its ma up
ia that the blossoms precede the leaves.