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As soon as possible after the Act became a law steps were taken to secure a competent man for the position of City Forester. Out of quite a number of men of more or less experience recommended for the place, Mr. Harry B. Filer, of Newark, N. J., was selected, and in the early part of June the work of spraying the trees was begun, some time having been consumed in getting together the necessary tools, ladders, wagons, spraying machines, etc. The result thus far has been very satisfactory. The spraying will be followed by the scraping of trees to get rid of all caterpillars and cocoons still remaining that can be reached and at the same time the work of trimming, taking out dead trees and planting fresh stock will be carried on. This new Department seems to be giving general satisfaction to our citizens. Respectfully submitted,

CHARLES MOSIER,

President.

JAMES N. ADAM,

Ex-Officio.

THOMAS B. LOCKWOOD.

HAROLD G. MEADOWS.

HORACE NOBLE.

MAURICE M. WALL.

Buffalo, N. Y., August, 1908.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

BUFFALO, N. Y., July 1, 1908.

To the Board of Park Commissioners:

GENTLEMEN,-In compliance with the requirements of Your Honorable Board, I submit a general report of the condition of the several parks, parkways and minor places, and the work done, and the permanent improvements made therein for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1908.

Our energies have been exerted to maintain the best conditions possible in our parks and parkways, and we feel that we have met with some success in keeping the work under our charge up to the standard of past years and advancing and improving many places and enhancing their beauty.

This has been made possible by the liberal increase of appropriations made by an administration which has carefully considered our necessities and wants, and with public spirit and generosity has freely responded, to the consegaent welfare, increased pleasure and satisfaction of our people.

The details which follow show the work done in the department.

DELAWARE PARK.

In writing of our work, we find it somewhat difficult to make things clear to the reader as to progress and conditions of plantations, and reference to seasons, from the fact that our fiscal year extends from July of one year to July of the following year; therefore, be it understood. that we refer to work done and completed after July 1, 1907.

The beauty of this park is its plantations of trees,

shrubbery and flowers. At the time we write, the trees, shrubbery, plants and turf are in fine, healthy condition. This is due to the constant attention they have received during the past year and the very liberal use of the best stockyard manure during the past winter.

We hope to be pardoned when we say that we are much in love with beautiful Delaware Park, and particularly with one of its greatest features-The Meadow. It is great in size and beauty. It contains 122 acres, and is circled by a driveway two miles long. No words of ours can fully describe the stateliness and beauty of this rolling expanse of green velvet. It has taken years for us to see its many beauties, each day with the aid of sunshine, cloud, vapor and twilight, new revelations of effects and scenes mingling into each other are brought forth that are beyond description.

The roadways in the Park and the connecting parkways are in much better condition than we had reason to expect after the open winter weather, with its rains and melted snows. The application of oil upon the roads (which is being continued the present year) proves to be a complete preventative of dust, much to the comfort of our people, and the relief and preservation of the nearby plantation. The oil is also a great factor in preserving the roads from washing away in heavy rainstorms, and reducing the labor in cleaning gutters, siltbasins, and making repairs. The presence of the unsightly sprinkling carts upon our roads is a thing of the past.

For several years the work of improving the sewer system of this Park has been in progress. During the past year there was built about fifteen hundred feet of new 6-inch sewers and upward of three thousand feet of new 12-inch sewers to replace old useless lines. The sewers crossing the Meadow from east to west, and on the Lake, were cleaned out and a portion rebuilt. Five

new silt-basins and receivers were also built, and a number of silt-basins were rebuilt, at a cost of over four thousand dollars.

The bridle paths, up to the latter part of the past year, were not drained as well as they should have been in places, owing to the lack of sewers near the paths. That condition has been overcome, to a certain extent, by new sewers recently built, and we have, under these new conditions, been enabled to drain the wet places by the use of rain tile and the constructing of short sewer lines along the sides of the paths with silt-basins and receivers at intervals. Some soft clay places have been excavated to a depth of a foot or more and then refilled with stone and the top graded with fine metal.

Small stones have been removed from all the paths, and a coat of sand loam applied to soften the paths.

Our appropriations for the improvement and maintenance of the bridle paths are of recent date the very small sum of about two hundred dollars a year. With larger appropriations we would be able to make greater and much needed improvements, thereby giving more pleasure and comfort to the largely increasing number of equestrians.

The vicinity immediately surrounding the Casino has been much improved in appearance and convenience. The descent from the high ground to the lake has been. made safe and comfortable by the construction of sections of wide stone steps with intermediate spaces paved with non-porous paving brick, and on each side of the steps, etc., gas-pipe railings have been built with graceful bends and curves.

The plantations of shrubbery in the spaces enclosed have been increased and added to until the effect is rich and satisfactory.

The handsome Shelter-house in the picnic grove, which was extensively repaired about one year ago, is in a very

satisfactory condition. The section of this building which was formerly used for a refectory was, the past winter, converted into an office and drafting-room for the Park Engineer.

For a number of years the only shelter for the swans, geese, and ducks, was some very unsatisfactory, unsightly and unsanitary sheds. These have been replaced by a new building erected upon the shore of the Lake, in a sheltered nook or bay, at the foot of high sloping shore lines, well concealed from view. Upon a stone foundation, with a concrete floor, was built a well proportioned superstructure, capped with a steep metal roof, making a good looking and substantial building for the purpose intended.

The squirrels continue to be a great attraction and pleasure to both adults and children. There should be at least two hundred more squirrels procured for our other parks.

The "Rumsey Woods" and road are a most welcome addition to the south section of Delaware Park, and greatly improve in appearance the Lincoln Avenue

entrance.

The row of propagating houses, the adjacent barn, sheds, Police Station, Shelter-house and all other buildings in this Park have been kept in good, first-class condition by making the necessary repairs. The Band-stand was repaired and painted.

The surrounding grounds of the McMillan Memorial Fountain have been improved much by the growth of the plants and the addition of more trees.

CAZENOVIA PARK.

Work in this Park has been maintenance of the grounds and plantations. Considerable more planting of trees and shrubbery was done in the proper season.

Early in the month of October, Cazenovia Creek, hav

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