Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21

reached q point where the need of a suit
able palm house is imperative. Congress
provided the means last year for the store
house, which was absolutely essential. but
In the work of the Office II is necessary to
Keep on hand a considerable supply OF
palms of various kinds. which are used not
only for outdoor decorations during the
summer, but during the winter season.
when they would ordinarily be housed. they
are utilized very successfully in the deco
ration of the Executive Mansion on official
occasions As the improvement OF the parks
IN Washington progresses the number OF
plants and flowers which are propagated
Tor their ornamentation increases rapidly.
requiring an ever-increasfng amount of
greenhouse room for their growth and
preparation. On this account the space re-
quired for the propagation of the outdoor
plants and fowers has practically crowded
out any available space for palms. More
over. the dimensions OF a green house suit
able Tor the propagation of park plants do
not give the shape necessary for palm
house. and. as all Of the green houses at
the propagating gardens have been built OF
secondhand material by our own workmen
1t has been impossible far to construct a
proper house for palms: therefore, the esti-
mate of S2..Oo submitted for this purpose is
regarded as essential and Indispensable to
tne proper progress of our work
only second In necessity to the palm
house Is the need Of suitable building TO
contain the shops OF this department Elk
traordinary amount of repair and manu-
facture Of the thousand and one articles
USED IN the park work is done by our own
men ana We have gradually accumulated
a very fair assortment Of tools; but the build
lngs in which they are housed and where the
work Is done are the cheapest kind of
sheds, made of secondhand material and
now In almost an untenantable condition
1t Is also impossible to keep them dry from
ram or even to lock them securely against
intrusion. mere inspection of these sheds
is Suf1cient to show the necessity and The
economy of combining all the shop work
at the propagating gardens into one build
ing. Request is therefore urgently made
Tor a plain brick building to be used for
the purpose above indicated and To cost
not more than $500
While 1t cannot be claimed that II is In
aty way necessary to improve all of the
parks Still remaining unimproyed within
tnree years, still 1t is respectfully urged
that, taking the number of. unimproyed
parks as 145, and allowing 81 900 apiece on
an average, II would be much more econom-
lcal instead Of spending $4,000 per wear
Tor fourteen and half years 10 suend
SnoD a year for three years MOI only
would The average cost of Improvement for
eacn park be thereby reduced hut enough
c0uld be saved in the course of the work
to supply the subdepots and subnurseries
which are becoming necessary in other
parts of the city,
Estimates for Appropriations
The estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1902. include the following items:
Salaries of employees, see. $50: Improvement
and care of public grounds, s1i5,25o Qnclud-
ing $4,000 for preliminary Improvement of
nifty unimproved reservations at an average
OF Sl,oo each): care, etc, Executive Man
sion $30oo0; lighting Executive Mansion
ard grounds, s13o41; lighting public
grounds, s4,fOS; United States wharf at ar
senal grounds, 5000; Washington monu-
ment, s11.52o