--- a/src/graphics.h.in
+++ b/src/graphics.h.in
@@ -1368,174 +1368,6 @@
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-class children_property : public base_property
-{
-public: 
-  children_property (void)
-    : base_property ("", graphics_handle ())
-    {
-      do_init_children (Matrix ());
-    }
-  
-  children_property (const std::string& nm, const graphics_handle& h,
-                     const Matrix &val)
-    : base_property (nm, h)
-    {
-      do_init_children (val);
-    }
-
-  children_property (const children_property& p)
-    : base_property (p) 
-    {
-      do_init_children (p.children_list);
-    }
-
-  children_property& operator = (const octave_value& val)
-    {
-      set (val);
-      return *this;
-    }
-
-  base_property* clone (void) const { return new children_property (*this); }
-
-  bool remove_child (const double &val)
-    {
-      return do_remove_child (val);
-    }
-  
-  void adopt (const double &val)
-    {
-      do_adopt_child (val);
-    }
-  
-  Matrix get_children (void) const
-    {
-      return do_get_children (false);
-    }
-  
-  Matrix get_hidden (void) const
-    {
-      return do_get_children (true);
-    }
-
-  Matrix get_all (void) const
-   {
-     return do_get_all_children ();
-   }
-  
-  octave_value get (void) const
-    {
-      return octave_value (get_children ());
-    }
-  
-  void delete_children (bool clear = false)
-    {
-      do_delete_children (clear);
-    }
-  
-private:
-  typedef std::list<double>::iterator children_list_iterator;
-  typedef std::list<double>::const_iterator const_children_list_iterator;
-  std::list<double> children_list;
-
-protected:
-  bool do_set (const octave_value& val)
-    {
-      const Matrix new_kids = val.matrix_value ();
-
-      octave_idx_type nel = new_kids.numel ();
-
-      const Matrix new_kids_column = new_kids.reshape (dim_vector (nel, 1));
-
-      bool is_ok = true;
-
-      if (! error_state)
-        {
-          const Matrix visible_kids = do_get_children (false);
-
-          if (visible_kids.numel () == new_kids.numel ())
-            {
-              Matrix t1 = visible_kids.sort ();
-              Matrix t2 = new_kids_column.sort ();
-
-              if (t1 != t2)
-                is_ok = false;
-            }
-          else
-            is_ok = false;
-
-          if (! is_ok)
-            error ("set: new children must be a permutation of existing children");
-        }
-      else
-        {
-          is_ok = false;
-          error ("set: expecting children to be array of graphics handles");
-        }
-
-      if (is_ok)
-        {
-          children_list.clear ();
-          do_init_children (new_kids_column.stack (get_hidden ()));
-        }
-
-      return is_ok;
-    }
-
-private:
-  void do_init_children (const Matrix &val)
-    {
-      children_list.clear ();
-      for (octave_idx_type i = 0; i < val.numel (); i++)
-        children_list.push_front (val.xelem (i));
-    }
-
-  void do_init_children (const std::list<double> &val)
-    {
-      children_list.clear ();
-      for (const_children_list_iterator p = val.begin (); p != val.end (); p++)
-        children_list.push_front (*p);
-    }
-
-  Matrix do_get_children (bool return_hidden) const;
-
-  Matrix do_get_all_children (void) const
-    {
-      Matrix retval (children_list.size (), 1);
-      octave_idx_type i  = 0;
-      
-      for (const_children_list_iterator p = children_list.begin ();
-           p != children_list.end (); p++)
-        retval(i++) = *p;
-      return retval;
-    }
-
-  bool do_remove_child (double child)
-    {
-      for (children_list_iterator p = children_list.begin ();
-           p != children_list.end (); p++)
-        {
-          if (*p == child)
-            {
-              children_list.erase (p);
-              return true;
-            }
-        }
-      return false;
-    }
-
-  void do_adopt_child (const double &val)
-    {
-      children_list.push_front (val);
-    }
-  
-  void do_delete_children (bool clear);
-};
-
-
-
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 class callback_property : public base_property
 {
 public:
@@ -2016,15 +1848,15 @@
 
   bool is_modified (void) const { return is___modified__ (); }
  
-  virtual void remove_child (const graphics_handle& h)
-    {
-      if (children.remove_child (h.value ()))
-        mark_modified ();
-    }
+  virtual void remove_child (const graphics_handle& h);
 
   virtual void adopt (const graphics_handle& h)
   {
-    children.adopt (h.value ());
+    octave_idx_type n = children.numel ();
+    children.resize (n+1, 1);
+    for (octave_idx_type i = n; i > 0; i--)
+      children(i) = children(i-1);
+    children(0) = h.value ();
     mark_modified ();
   }
 
@@ -2045,20 +1877,11 @@
 
   void set_parent (const octave_value& val);
 
-  Matrix get_children (void) const
-    {
-      return children.get_children ();
-    }
-  
-  Matrix get_all_children (void) const 
-    { 
-      return children.get_all ();
-    }
-
-  Matrix get_hidden_children (void) const
-    {
-      return children.get_hidden ();
-    }
+  Matrix get_all_children (void) const { return children; }
+
+  Matrix get_hidden_children (void) const;
+
+  void set_children (const octave_value& val);
 
   void set_modified (const octave_value& val) { set___modified__ (val); }
 
@@ -2071,14 +1894,8 @@
 
   virtual void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type) const;
 
-  virtual void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type,
-                                   const graphics_handle& h) const;
-
-  virtual void delete_children (bool clear = false)
-    {
-      children.delete_children (clear);
-    }
-  
+  virtual void delete_children (void);
+
   static property_list::pval_map_type factory_defaults (void);
 
   // FIXME -- these functions should be generated automatically by the
@@ -2123,7 +1940,8 @@
     bool_property beingdeleted , "off"
     radio_property busyaction , "{queue}|cancel"
     callback_property buttondownfcn , Matrix ()
-    children_property children gf , Matrix ()
+    // FIXME -- use a property class for children.
+    Matrix children Gfs , Matrix ()
     bool_property clipping , "on"
     callback_property createfcn , Matrix ()
     callback_property deletefcn , Matrix ()
@@ -2165,6 +1983,9 @@
     { insert_property (name, property (&p, true)); }
   
   virtual void init (void) { }
+
+private:
+  Matrix get_children_internal (bool return_hidden) const;
 };
 
 class OCTINTERP_API base_graphics_object
@@ -2330,9 +2151,6 @@
 
   virtual void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type);
 
-  virtual void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type,
-                                   const graphics_handle& h);
-
   virtual bool valid_object (void) const { return false; }
 
   virtual std::string type (void) const
@@ -2518,12 +2336,6 @@
     rep->update_axis_limits (axis_type);
   }
 
-  void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type,
-                           const graphics_handle& h)
-  {
-    rep->update_axis_limits (axis_type, h);
-  }
-
   bool valid_object (void) const { return rep->valid_object (); }
 
   std::string type (void) const { return rep->type (); }
@@ -3379,9 +3191,6 @@
 
   void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type);
 
-  void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type,
-                           const graphics_handle& h);
-
   bool valid_object (void) const { return true; }
 
   void reset_default_properties (void);
@@ -3987,9 +3796,8 @@
 
     void adopt (const graphics_handle& h)
       {
-
         base_properties::adopt (h);
-        update_limits (h);
+        update_limits ();
       }
 
     // See the genprops.awk script for an explanation of the
@@ -4010,14 +3818,18 @@
     END_PROPERTIES
 
   private:
-      void update_limits (void) const;
-
-      void update_limits (const graphics_handle& h) const;
+    void update_limits (void)
+      {
+        update_axis_limits ("xlim");
+        update_axis_limits ("ylim");
+        update_axis_limits ("zlim");
+        update_axis_limits ("clim");
+        update_axis_limits ("alim");
+      }
 
   protected:
     void init (void)
       { }
-
   };
 
 private:
@@ -4037,12 +3849,8 @@
   const base_properties& get_properties (void) const { return xproperties; }
 
   bool valid_object (void) const { return true; }
-
+  
   void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type);
-
-  void update_axis_limits (const std::string& axis_type,
-                           const graphics_handle& h);
-
 };
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------