Area.-Van Cortlandt Park has an area of 1,132.25 acres. Means of Access.-Broadway branch of the Subway, direct to the park. Broadway surface line, which runs along the entire westerly boundary of the park, crossing the City line, and extending into Yonkers via South Broadway. Jerome Avenue cars of the Union Railway, which cross Mosholu Parkway, skirt the southeasterly boundary of the park, cross the northeasterly portion, and run into Yonkers via Central Avenue. The crosstown cars of the Union Railway intersect the Jerome Avenue line at many points where transfers are given. Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad (terminal at 155th Street station of the Sixth and Ninth Avenue elevated railway, Manhattan) to Van Cortlandt station - in the park. Special Features.-A big stretch of forest land that invites the rambler, a lake for the canoeist and the oarsman, extensive grounds that afford opportunity to enjoy as participant or spectator, all manners of out-door sports, elaborate formal gardens, and historical buildings, relics and associations:-all these are features that make Van Cort- landt Park a park of unique value. Golf.-Until 1914, there has been but one 18-hole golf course in this park. This course comprises 5,342 yards, and covers 77 acres. It is known as the "Van Cortlandt Course." It is picturesquely located in the Tippets Brook Valley, extending for some distance along the easterly shore of Van Cortlandt Lake. During the present year, a new 18-hole golf course, comprising 5,053 yards, and cov- ering 72 acres, has been completed. This course is known as "The Mosholu Course," and is pleasantly and conveniently located on the highest portion of the park. Golf House.-On the shore of the lake, and convenient to the first Tee of the Van Cort- landt Course, the Department maintains a golf and locker house. In this building is a section containing 490 lockers for men, and two shower baths, and 32 polo lockers for the use of the members of the New York State National Guard, who play polo in this park; and a section containing 80 lockers and two shower baths, for the use of women. Water Sports.-There is a long narrow lake that covers some 16% acres. There are boats and canoes on this for rent. In the winter, it is used for skating, the golf house being used as a skate house. Curling matches are also engaged in here. Baseball and Other Sports.-There are 12 baseball fields. There are 8 tennis courts; 4 on the Gun Hill Road, 2 on the parade field, and 2 on the new golf links. During the Fall season, the baseball fields are,used for football. There is a 59 acre parade ground, a 32 acre polo field, a cricket field, and a cross-country course six miles in length, over which the Junior and Senior Individual and Team Cross-country championship of the Metropolitan Association of the A. A. U. was run. Colonial Garden.-A very beautiful feature in this park is the formal Colonial Garden in front of the Colonial Mansion, comprising about 3% acres. In the center of it is a handsome marble fountain, surmounted by the coat of arms of the City of New York, and the sides of which represent the coats of arms of the Thirteen Original States. This fountain was presented to the City of New York by Mrs. Frederick F. Thompdn, at a cost of $14,000. Van Cortlandt House, and Other Historical Features.-The Van Cortlandt House is one of the old houses within the area of Greater New York. It is still in excellent con- dition. It is in the custody of the "Colonial Dames of the State of New York." This society has gathered a very interesting collection of Dutch and Colonial household fur- niture and utensils, arms and documents. It is open to the public every day in the week, including Sundays, and admission is free, excepting on Thursday, on which day 25 cents admission is charged, which includes a cup of tea served in the old kitchen. Historical Associations.-The land comprised in Van Cortlandt Park was originally permitted to raise vegetables. Each child is assigned a plot 6 feet by 12 feet. There are 288 of these plots. The children furnish their own seed and utensils, and, of course, keep the produce. The department plows the ground in the Spring. The "school farms " are under the supervision and direction of the park foreman, the same as are the playgrounds. Improvements.-The first playground to be established in the parks of the borough was the one in this park. This playground was enclosed with a heavy galvanized iron fence 396 feet long on two-inch galvanized iron post, and a privet hedge six feet high was planted, to screen the playground from the rest of the park. The ornamental iron fence 4,800 feet long and 5 feet high, enclosing this park, was repaired, desned and painted. 5,700 feet of dirt sidewalk on the 149th Street side of the park was covered with steam ashes. An artificia 1 skating pond 600 feet long by 150 feet wide was constructed. The music stand was re- painted, and permanent seats for the accommodation of 40 people were installed. The large two-story brick building used as a comfort station was repaired to a con- siderable extent, and painted inside and outside. The toilet arrangements in this house, for both men and women, were renovated and enlarged in such a way as to make them far more sanitary than they previously were, and increased to twice their former capacity. During the year, 5,240 flowering plants were set out in beds. Christmas Tree.-This year, for the first time in the history of the Department, a Christmas Tree was erected in St. Mary's Park, in co-operation with the Parks and Play- grounds Association. This tree was erected upon a platform, and stood about fifty feet above the ground; it was covered with three hundred electric lights, the current for which was contributed by the Edison Company. The Department allowed the use of the park for the purpose, and Commissioner Whittle contributed the tree. Miss Madeline L. Stevens, Play Supervisor of the Parks and Playgrounds Associa- tion, supervised the carrying out of the project, and to her in large measure is due the wonderful success of the occasion. Public subscriptions were taken through the newspapers of the borough, and $50 in cash was realized in this way. In the afternoon of the day before Christmas athletic games were played by the chil- dren in the playground, and two hundred toys were given as prizes to the winners of the different contests. In the evening three thousand cornucopias and packages of candy were distributed among the children present. It was estimated that more than five thousand children and older persons came to the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve. The tree was kept in its place and lighted each night from Christmas to New Year's. This park has an area of 0.25 acres, and is located at the junction of 166th Street, Fulton and Franklin Avenues. Improvements.-Early in the year, the unsightly stone wall which was formerly located on the westerly side of this park, eight feet above grade, was taken down, and a rock- faced ashlar wall, 74 feet long, and with a stone coping 20 inches wide, was erected in its place. The new wall is 5 feet 6 inches high, and the bank above it was graded with top soil and seeded. During the year, the Department set out in this park 27 trees, 156 shrubs, and 1,840 bedding plants. This park has an area of 2.75 acres, and is located on the Harlem River slope in front of the grounds of the New York University. Area.-Van Cortlandt Park has an area of 1,132.25 acres. Means of Access.-Broadway branch of the Subway, direct to the park. Broadway surface line, which runs along the entire westerly boundary of the park, crossing the City line, and extending into Yonkers via South Broadway. Jerome Avenue cars of the Union Railway, which cross Mosholu Parkway, skirt the southeasterly boundary of the park, cross the northeasterly portion, and run into Yonkers via Central Avenue. The crosstown cars of the Union Railway intersect the Jerome Avenue line at many points where transfers are given. Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad (terminal at 155th Street station of the Sixth and Ninth Avenue elevated railway, Manhattan) to Van Cortlandt station - in the park. Special Features.-A big stretch of forest land that invites the rambler, a lake for the canoeist and the oarsman, extensive grounds that afford opportunity to enjoy as participant or spectator, all manners of out-door sports, elaborate formal gardens, and historical buildings, relics and associations:-all these are features that make Van Cort- landt Park a park of unique value. Golf.-Until 1914, there has been but one 18-hole golf course in this park. This course comprises 5,342 yards, and covers 77 acres. It is known as the "Van Cortlandt Course." It is picturesquely located in the Tippets Brook Valley, extending for some distance along the easterly shore of Van Cortlandt Lake. During the present year, a new 18-hole golf course, comprising 5,053 yards, and cov- ering 72 acres, has been completed. This course is known as "The Mosholu Course," and is pleasantly and conveniently located on the highest portion of the park.