The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-15

AtAlLAblLITI FOE THklh INTENDED PURPOSE
THE OLD AND M@DBRH STILES OF LAEDsCA PK
GARDENING CONTRAsTED-THE ARTIFICIAL LAKE
SUGGESTIONS FOR BOTANICAL AID zo0LoGI
CAL CoLLEcTI0E-aKNERAL DISTRIBUTION OF
THE PARK.
Wa believe that hAcauiay who spsculAtes on tLs
feelings OF some future Naus mourning over The ruins
OF one of ths great European cities, whom civilization
shall have fed the Eastern Hemisphere taken no her
abode in The New World II with IN equaI bu! dill
srsnt sort Of interest that yesterday passed over tia
Wild and uncuvated tract which has been slooatsd for
the formation Of the Cen rAl Park. Our Imagination
carried forward few years to the period when this
profitable waste will have been converted into ore OF
the most varied animated and attractive promenades In
he vor!dwhen It's avenues and drives will bs crowded
with the beauty and fashion Of city and when the
overts xed energies OF its hsrdworked population viii
seek in its cool and pleasant retreats the relaxation
oary to enable them to support the toll to which they
are condemned.
catering ct the southern extremity Of the new Park
one Is struck BY the apparently unfavorabls cha
racter OF the grounds for ornamental purposes.
surface broken UP into rocky elevations, inter-
spersed only by . scant vegetation and but few
Trees promises TO Tar to the utmost the taste and skin Of
those char with the execution Of the work. We had
lived In the days of Jean Gonon Ls Notre these OBJ
staces would have been deemed and the
task abandoned IN despair The old rectnsar system
laying out grounds which graAed the ostentatious bat
imperecty cultivated tastes Of Francis l. and Louis
QuAtorxe, could not have been reooncied 18th the on
gneerng difficulties that every where preset
Happily modern ideas have rejected absurd these
efforts to render nature subservsnt art in field where
her works are unrivsled. The monotony and drsary
grandeur resulting from style which al the laws Of
good taste aud natural beauty Violated too forc
bly, exemplfed In the arrangement Of the grounds 0,
Versailles and old paatia residences
OF Europe, not to operate restraint that spirit OF
Imitation, which in the arts well everything else
apt to misead the judgment Modern landscape
find that they have only to follow nature guide to
obtain results which fixed scientific rules viii enable
them to achieve and in proportion they adhere closely
or negligently to the models which abe everywhere
spreads before their eyes, will their success be common
surate.
Tho difficulties arising from the broken and stony cha
rsoter OF the surface Of the Park OFFER therefore as
may be seen only wider field for the tas and skill Of
the artist In seeking to overcome them his fancy will
be stimulated into thousand contrivances which he
would never have dreamt Of he had merely deal with
an ordnary champagne coil Thus each object which now
constitutes an obstacle to the eye Of the ordinary observ
or will in judcious hands, be made to contribute to the
general effect. Rocky elevations can by the aid Of few
feet of SOIL be clothed with soft gresnsward whers
their angular formation will permit Of it. and where
they do not, the rocks themselves can be convert
ed into objects OF natural interest They may be
turned, besides to useful account in the coustru,.
ton of grottoes, hermitages fish reservoirs seats and
. thousand other ornamental and useful purposes
We look upon it of great advantage that the level
ling principle which Ia making our city 80 monotonous-
ly uniform, cannot be conveniently carried out in
the formation Of the Park The expense with which
it would be attended happily constitutes an obstacle to
q A &C.,
the picturesque beauty which our Island possessed
Our parvenu aristocracy to think that all the plea
sures and eDoyments Of lie to be found within four
brick walls The ns grounds and carefully cultivated gar
dens which in European cities indispensable
of handsome residence do not to have any value
in their eyes, Tho consequence IL that in all New York
there 10 scarcely green spot with which the mind can
refresh itself among the vast piles Of stone and brick BY
which we are everywhere surrounded Thanks to the
good taste Of the public spirited individuals who have oar.
ried out this scheme Of the Central Park and thanks
again to the nature Of its SOIL the grading svelnR
brick acoumulatnS propenses Of city spectators
have received . check, and shall be permitted the
means of gaddening eyes and refreshing our lungs
with the pleasant sights and invgorsting atmosphere
the spot which has been saved with much diff Guilty
from their clutches.
As the visitsr advances through the Park, partly
through the unnished avenues partly by means Of
the roads which traverse it diagonaly he will find that
the character Of the ground improves greatly. Nina.
ture valleys occasionally to be met WITH which i'm.
part diversity to Its usually broken surface and which
win afford ample space FOX the skill of the ornamental
gardener Towards the centre, the rising grounds
greater breadth and bodness and the vegetation
becomes luxurant Here however, where trees are
most wanting, there unfortunately but fsw This is
the great detect OF the Park and are afraid that
one that win take years to remedy. The new machine
for transpanting trees invented Scotch gentleman
named MoCullooh and which ID said to have been lately
worked successfully in the presence of the French Empe
ror, may perhaps aid US to supply it. We recollect,
however, the failure OF Sir John Sinclars many expert
msats In this way, and we require to have practical
proof the value Of the invention before We can
faith in 1t.
In regarding the plan Of the new Croton reservoir
strikes that Its proposed form would interfere greatly
with the convenience of the Park We not sufficiently
skilled in hydraulics to pronounce any positive opinion
upon the subject but to that might be both
heightened and narrowed without liz diminishing any
material degree the force of tho water. something
curvilnsar form given to Its Sides it would add
greatly to its appearance, and take away the artificial
aspect which must otherwise This is all ws
think that the Creson directors de- The efficiency OF
the water supply of the city is much important
object than the tAon Of the Central Park and
the attempt TO convert the reservoir into what Is called
artificial lals would, afraid interfere with it.
We trust that the idea of devong portion Of the Park
to botanical garden viii be perssvered in. Nothing
would add to its attraction, and We can ses
no difficulty carrying 1t into effect There Il
not . city in the world which possesses create,
facilities for the formation IF public collections Of thu
SORT and yet strange to say cannot boast Of one
The truth is We afford ths public spirit and liberia
lily of citizens opportunity for Indulgence. Had
places alocaed for the purpose would find gifts
AL kinds pouring in upon from merchants WHOSE
vessels continually bringing back valuable specimens
and curiositiss from the ports which they visit There
Ia ons suggestion We would make, which would add
greatly to tho interest OF botanical garden. II u ia
combine with geological collection and thus to dom
cls In spot the Flora and Fauna Of each country
We would thsn have opportunity Of studying tAs dir
nctivs features Of ths animal and vegetable life Of other
climates besides The proper place Tor such
collection would be obviously ct the southern extremity