Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
CARE OF THE PARKS
Annual Report Of Col. Charles
s. Bromwell.
THE CAPITOL GROUNDS
URGES AN APPROPRIATION FOR
MAINTAINING FAIRGROUNDS.
Authority Necessary for the Erection
THE CAPITOL GROUNDS
Authority Necessary for the Erection
of Shelters-Increase in Force of
Watchmen Recommended.

A mass of interesting information re-
&c riding the public parks and buildings in
the District is contained in the annual re-
port of Col. Charles 8. Cromwell. the en-
gineer officer In charge. just submitted to
General Mackenzie chief of engineers. The
area covered by the park spaces Of the
District under the charge of that Office Is
46' ,319 acres. There are In all 305 reserva-
items, varying in size from $50 square feet
to So acres. OF these reservations los, con-
tanning 361 sos acres, are highly improved;
liz, containing -, 763. are partially Inn
proved. and 50. containing S4.95S acres, are
unimproved..
Bare Places Sodded.
The beauty and neatr ess of very many of
the improved reservations, Col. Bromwell
says, have been married by unsghtly bare
places on their lawn surfaces and by worn
borders. The special effort made during
the year 1903-19o4 to eliminate these blem-
ishes by resodding was continued during
the present year and as a result 1850
square yards of sod have been laid over
the places mentioned during the year, vast
ly improving the appearance of the parks
and park places thus treated.
Part of the S25Op0 appropriated by Con-
gress for improving various reservations
was devoted to improving seven reServa-
ticns hitherto unimproved containing O. 40S
acres and in placing additional improve
ments In one other. containing O.32o acres.
These improvements consisted in general
way OF grading, Sodd.ng and seeding, IN
Producing waterpipe. in four cases inclos-
ing with iron posts and chain fence and in
one case constructing cement coping. In
addition, one reservation, containing 00f9
acres, which was a gravel bank about 10
feet above the surrounding streets, was cut
down to grade. the material excavated be-
ing used to repair gravel roads and walks
in other reservations.
White House Grounds.
Regarding operations in the White
House grounds, Col. BromweI says:
The amount appropriated for the
grounds inside the iron fence $4,000 is
hardly sufficient for the maintenance of
the grounds in creditable condition. 1t
is recommended that the amount of MAIN
tenance be increased to $4,000"
The Capitol Grounds.
THE work performed for the improve
ment of these grounds during the year."
says Col. Cromwell, consisted, gener-
ally, in the removal of the paintings. and
the old surface soil from the beds on the
terraces on the north, south and west
fronts of the Capitol, and in reflling
these beds with fresh soil and compost,
twenty-five of which were subsequently
planted with ornamental evergreen trees
and shrubs for winter decorations and
eight with hyacinths. tulips and crocus
(spring- Towering bulbs) and twenty
eight with pansies for early spring bloom
--hfty-eight in all.
In the early summer months following
these winter paintings were removed to
the propagating gardens, and all the beds
were replanted with Towering and foli-
age plants. Eighteen large bronze vases
surmounting the balustrades bordering
the western entrances to the Capitol were
filled with palms, plants and ornamental
trailing vines for additional summer
decorations.
Summer blooming water lilies were
placed in the fountain basin below the
western terrace and in the basin of the
rockery grotto in the northern section of
the grounds. In the eastern section of
the grounds $50 trees and Towering
shrubs were planted for permanent deco
ration.
The total number of Towering and or
namental foliage plants furnished from
the propagating gardens for the spring,
summer and autumn decorative paintings
of the Capitol grounds was 140S0.
Propagating Gardens.