Part of the $30,000 appropriated "For improvement, care, and maintenance of various reservations," was devoted to making additional improvements in 21 improved reservations (Nos. 8, 15, 33, 36, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 75, 76, 77a, 84, 86, 126, 150, 157, 270b, 277a, 310a.), in further improving 13 reservations already partially improved (Nos. 54, 54a, 72, 170, 189, 230, 232, 304, 305, 305a, 328, 329, 330) and in improving one unimproved reservation (315).

A new lodge house was constructed in Garfield Park, the lower retaining wall at Meridian Hill Park completed and the upper retaining wall finished, except the superstructure. Additional improvements were made in reservation 36, which contains the statue of Gen. Hancock. Extensive improvements were made in Truxton Circle, and Montrose Park was further improved. A 12-inch water main was laid in the Smithsonian Grounds and connected with the city main to furnish an adequate supply of water at all times to the new building of the National Museum. The construction of a bituminous-bound macadam roadway around the river and harbor sides of East Potomac Park was completed, and additional improvements made in the interior of that park and in West Potomac Park. Much additional planting was done, the following material having been set out: 2,127 trees, 11,015 shrubs, 624 box bushes, 2,981 perennials, 790 roses, 3,000 vines, 1,400 hedge plants, and 27 grasses. In addition, 82,272 shrubs and herbaceous plants were set out in East Potomac Park in a large bed especially prepared for them.

MAINTENANCE OF IMPROVED PARKS.

The improved parks and park spaces were maintained in good condition during the year. The work consisted generally in repairing worn places in the oiled and tarred roads; sweeping paved roads and walks; repairing and raking gravel walks and keeping them free of weed growth; cleaning gutters and drain traps; mowing and raking lawns, edging their borders, sodding or seeding bare places; removing dead trees; pruning trees and shrubs; trimming hedges; planting and caring for flower beds; setting, repairing, and painting trespass fences; washing and staking park benches; repairing board walks; and relaying brick gutters. An expense of $525 was incurred in restoring the parks to normal condition after a storm and high. water on August 3, 1915. Dead wood was cut out from dead trees and the cavities thus formed were filled with cement; 515 trees were thus treated and 52 trees were given special root treatment; bolts were placed in 674 trees and chains on 131 to prevent them from splitting. Dead trees were removed. Trees and shrubs were sprayed to prevent defoliation by insects, and in August nearly 2,000 trees were painted with a weak solution of lime and sulphur.

In December, January, February, and March stable manure was spread over 205,495 square yards of lawn surface. This was raked in in the spring. In March and April 58 tons of shredded cattle manure, 36 tons of humus, 200 barrels of lime, and 17 tons of bone meal were spread over lawns not otherwise fertilized.

The snow was promptly removed from the park walks and the sidewalks around them and sand was spread over ice and frozen snow that could not be readily removed. In December 1,753,813

square yards of walk was cleaned of snow; in January, 240 square yards; and in February, 525,000 square yards.

In the autumn some of the flower beds were planted with pr plants and some with flowering bulbs for early spring bloom: t beds were then covered with a coating of well-rotted manure. these plantings 25,000 pansies and 59,900 bulbs were used. In and June the beds were planted with 608,000 bedding plants. T beds were protected in most cases by hooped irons placed art them. Ten vases were stocked with plants for summer decoratio The special efforts made by this office during recent years to re the bare places and worn borders on the lawns by resodding b been continued, and during the year 11,073 square yards of were used for the purpose, greatly improving the appearance of t parks.

In addition to the general work referred to above, the follow special work was done:

NORTHWEST DIVISION.

Du Pont Circle.-There were planted in this circle 72 decid trees, 773 deciduous shrubs, 170 evergreen trees, 559 evergreen shr 250 perennials, 27 grasses, and 167 rose bushes. One thousand hundred and eighty-eight square yards of sod was laid. Two the four concrete sand boxes were replaced with those of more rect design.

Franklin Park.-Portions of the exterior and the ceiling and wi of the interior of the lodge house were painted; 50 square yards gravel walk was repaired; three evergreen trees were planted.

Grounds south of Executive Mansion.-The work of repair broken places in the mosaic floor around the Sherman Statue in, northeast corner of the grounds, which was commenced in June, completed in July. This work consisted of replacing with material all of the old mosaic which had become broken, cracked. lost. The joints in the pedestal and steps were cleaned out £ pointed up.

Iowa Circle.-All exterior woodwork on the park lodge painted.

Judiciary Park.-Portions of the exterior and the ceiling s walls of the interior of the lodge house were painted. Twelve eve green trees and 2 rose bushes were planted and 778 square yards sod were laid.

Lafayette Park.-A new coping was built around the top of t lodge house and on top of the wall in the rear. This coping. woodwork on the exterior, and the walls and ceilings of the buildi were painted. Two evergreen trees were planted and 938 squa yards of sod was laid.

Meridian Hill Park.-As stated in Annual Report for 1915, we under the contract of March 20, 1915, for the lower retaining was temporarily stopped on May 10, for the reasons then state Operations were resumed in August, continued throughout the res and the wall finally completed in May, 1916, some modifications bein made under a supplemental contract dated August 11, 1915.

An appropriation of $25,000 having been made by sundry da act approved March 3, 1915, for continuing the construction of t

walls, work was commenced in July by a force under this office excavating for the erection of an upper wall fronting the highest part of the ground opposite Crescent Place. A contract for this upper wall was entered into on September 25, 1915, for constructing the wall, which was completed in April, 1916.

Montrose Park.-Five hundred and seventy square yards of new gravel walk was constructed and 1,044 square yards were repaired. Seven hundred and seventy-eight linear feet of 14-inch galvanizediron water pipe was laid. The old summer house was repaired, a new tin roof put on, the old paint removed, and the building stained. Three catch basins were built and 95 linear feet of terra-cotta pipe laid to drain them. A fence 470 feet long and 4 feet high was erected to protect the beach hedge along the R Street side of the park. There were planted 77 evergreen trees, 317 deciduous trees, 1,075 evergreen shrubs, 570 deciduous shrubs, 428 vines, 87 perennials, and 540 rose bushes; 542 square yards of sod was laid. Holes were drilled around the old white-oak trees to facilitate the penetration of moisture and fertilizer to their roots. Necessary repairs were made to the old brick house. All dead trees were removed.

Mount Vernon Park.-Six evergreen trees and 102 shrubs were planted and 197 square yards of sod laid.

Scott Circle.-Six hundred box bushes were planted.

Truxton Circle. This little park, known as United States Reservation 277a, was highly improved. It is located at the intersection of Florida Avenue, North Capitol, and First Streets. It is surrounded by a cement sidewalk and has a display fountain in the center, which is much higher than the surrounding streets. The improvements consisted of regrading. constructing a low cement coping around the circle at the inner edge of the sidewalk, constructing, four cement walks consisting of low broad steps leading up to the fountain, constructing cement coping on either side of the walks, painting the fountain and constructing a cement walk around it, leaving a border next to the basin in which plants were set, placing a hedge of privet plants along the borders of lawn surfaces, planting shrubs and flower beds, and placing seats on the outer edge of the circle in cement-paved places indented into the lawn for that purpose. (A photograph of the circle accompanies this report.)

The details of the improvements were 113 linear feet of 8-inch coping, 689 linear feet of 4-inch coping, 96 linear feet cement steps, and 457 square yards of cement walk constructed, 46 deciduous shrubs, 45 evergreen shrubs, 1,200 privet plants for hedges, and 200 iris plants for borders planted, and 129 square yards of sod laid.

Washington Circle.-Two sand boxes for children to play in were constructed, inclosed with cement coping, with a total length for the two of 136 linear feet, and surrounded with a gravel walk. One evergreen tree was planted and 70 square yards of sod laid.

Reservation 33, Pennsylvania Avenue, Thirteenth and E Streets NW.—This triangle contains the esquestrian statue of Gen. Count Pulaski. Seventy-four evergreen trees, 224 evergreen shrubs, and 144 deciduous shrubs were planted.

Reservation 35, Pennsylvania Avenue, Ninth and C Streets NW.— Two hundred and five square yards of sod was laid.

Reservation 36, Pennsylvania Avenue, Seventh and C Strea NW. This triangle contains the equestrian statue of Gen. Hancock A new cement walk covering an area of 422 square yards was con structed and a sod border containing 181 square yards of sod w laid along the edges of the walk. New planting beds and a trench fo hedge planting were excavated, prepared for planting, and the fo lowing planting material set out: One hundred and twenty-one evergreen trees, 85 evergreen shrubs, 9 deciduous trees, 89 deciduous! shrubs, 1,355 vines, 180 perennials, and 62 rosebushes. Three hundred and fifty-five square yards of sod was laid. The low iron railing fence which inclosed the circular flower bed at the west end of the reservation was removed.

Reservation 58, Massachusetts Avenue, Twenty-first and Q Streete NW.-Fifty-one evergreen shrubs were planted.

Reservation 59, Massachusetts Avenue, Twentieth and P Street NW. The park lodge house was remodeled and enlarged, the in terior and exterior of the building painted, new plumbing installed. and necessary water supply and drainage connections made. A planting bed was prepared and 113 deciduous shrubs and 2 evergreen trees planted.

Reservation 62, Massachusetts Avenue and N Street between Siz teenth and Seventeenth Streets NW.-Six hundred and fifty-three evergreen shrubs and 4 deciduous shrubs were planted.

Reservation 64, Massachusetts Avenue and N Street between Fif teenth and Sixteenth Streets NW.-Seven evergreen trees and 4 shrubs were planted.

Reservation 72, Massachusetts Avenue, Sixth and I Streets NW.– Eighteen deciduous shrubs were planted.

Reservation 75, Massachusetts Avenue, Fourth and H Streets NW.-A shrubbery bed was prepared and 22 deciduous shrubs and 207 perennials planted.

Reservation 76, Massachusetts Avenue, Third and H Streets NW. A shrubbery bed was prepared and 80 deciduous shrubs and 168 perennials planted.

Reservation 77a, Massachusetts Avenue, First and G Streets NW.-A shrubbery bed was prepared and 14 evergreen shrubs, 218 deciduous shrubs, and 346 perennials were planted.

Reservation 150, Connecticut Avenue, Eighteenth and M Streets NW.-A bed was prepared and 240 vines planted.

Reservation 157, Rhode Island Avenue, Ninth and Q Streets NW. Twenty-four box bushes were planted.

Reservation 170, Vermont Avenue, Tenth and U Streets NW.One hundred deciduous shrubs were planted in this reservation. Reservation 188, Indiana Avenue, Third and D Streets NW.Twelve large shrubs were planted.

Reservation 189, Indiana Avenue, Second and C Streets NW.—A shrubbery bed was prepared and 71 deciduous shrubs and 648 vines planted.

Reservation 270b, Florida Avenue, Twenty-first and S Streets NW.-Fifty-eight shrubs were planted, 90 square yards of lawn area seeded, and 38 square yards of sod border laid.

Reservation 304, Wyoming Avenue, Columbia Road and Twen tieth Street NW.-A shrubbery bed was excavated, prepared, and