The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-11-02


Enter tSy Gs.isfs Joy. '"'''' "'n'
The BorANIc GARDEs--ITs HISTORY AMI
PRESENT CONDITION. = There are but few
places In Washington more interesting to
visitors than the Botanic Garden. at the foot
OF Capitol Hill. y.
As fact OF history, tho records OF the oflce
Of thee Commissioner OF Public Grounds and
Buildings show that at the time OF the laying
out Of the city the present site was set apart
for and denominated the Botanic Garden. Il
the year 1850, when the Hon. J. A. Pearce, OF
Maryland then chairman Of the Joint Com
mittce on the Library, obtained from Congress
10 the Botanic Garden, and FOR removing to
that place the collection OF plants brought
home by the United States Exploring Expe.
which, up to that date, had bsen kept ID
greenhouses at the Patent ONCE. This made
necessary other appropriations for draining
and filling up. the swamp so that It could Be
has been filled up from Ave to fourteen feet
over Its whole surface provisions have
been made for propagstins and distributing
naval expeditions, BY purchase, and By gifts,
have accumulated there, and various improve.
ments have been made until, except In ex-
tent, It is not surpassed by any establishment
The classic Tiber, .C'Goose ereekn once, In
Us course through these grounds, IL no longer
to Be seem but %foll, IL turStd sires@" BE-;
the condition Of = common sewer, at an ex-
pense OF 81, 900. The old picket fence, from
First street along Pennsylvania avenue to
Third, and from Pcnnsylvania avenue along
Third street to Missouri avenue, has given
way to low brick wall Aurmountei by a
plain but handsome iron fence, which, II Is to
be hoped, will soon be extended around the
necessary is this fence that Congress will
hardly fail to make the appropriation ncces-
sary TO tiuish It and to Dag the footways
around IL At Its next session. The garden 10
under the charge OF the "Joint Committee OF
the two Houses OF Congress- on the Library"
and for fifteen years Mr.. VIM. r. Smith has
naturalized citizen OF the United States-na.
tive OF Scotland, and = graduate from the
Royal Gardens at Kew, near London. He 10
assisted by an inieii,sen5, Industrious and
gardeners aud labofers. How well Mr.. Smith
has discharged his duty Of superintendent is
shown BY the present condition Of what was
so recentlya swamp reekins with miasmatio
The Botanic Garden lies between PennsyI.
vania and Maryland avenues on the north and
east and west, with the main entrance on
First street, opposite the middle gate Of the
Capitol grounds, and another entrance directly
opposite on Third street, the two entrances
being connected by the main avenue, which Is
paved with broad flag stones. On the south
side OF the main avenue 10 the greenhouse,
consisting OF central circular building, sixty
east and west of which are two smaller octa-
gonAl buildings, each connected with the CEN
trail building BY paralleiogram, the whole
eastern octagon and .paralielogram are built
of wood and glass, and have been occupied ten
years. The central building, the western
oetagon and parallelogram are now being built
by the frat OF March, at 4 cost OF $4,000.
The whole, in architecture and practical
adaptation 70 IT, purposes, win be equal to
and reflects credit on Mr.. CLARK, architect In
charge OF the work on the Capitol, and Mr..
Smith, who are Jointly Its designers.
collection OF rare, beautiful and useful pls nts,
not equalled In the United States, though, as
yet, far inferior In extent and variety to the
collections in the public establishments Hn At
the grounds around, are illustrations of every
natural family described BY Or. Gray In the
American Glass Book Of Botany and here
tratc economic botany-as coffee, tea, choco-
late, jute, the cocoanut, the banana, the lemon,
the orange, the tamarlnd, the mango, etc.
and bastard eiSnsmon, Whose mixture 10 the the
cinnamon OF commerce 60 often defrauds the
oonsumer-and here, tho delicious fanilla at
tains. a high state OF perfection. Here are
orchids, and a large variety OF the rarest
ferns-a single plant Of one species Of which
sold, at recent sale In baltimore, for ninety
dollars. Here 10 the curious dove plan, which
the imaginative and superstitious Spaniard
has called the Spirifu Sdncfu, or Holy Ghost
plant. And here Imported from the Holy
which came the thorns that crowned the Mar.
tyr OF calvary. Here Is a cinchona tree, which
has already attained the heighth OF eight feet,
and II 10 hoped that experiments prompted by
this establishment may result in making this
valuable tree flourish In some OF our Southern
States,
say that here, surrounded by palms, bananas,
lemons, oranges, So, In flower and fruit, by so
much that is curious or gorgeous OF tropica!
vegetation, with the rich plumage OF tropical
birds seen through the foliage, II requires no
stretch Of the imagination to see around all
the beauties and dangers OF tropical forest
that are not really here. Just south OF the
for propagating ornamental and useful plants,
and two small brick buildings used for Offices
aud workshops, from which an assortment OF
GonsfeSsional district In the United States
Many plants that for yenrs were produced In
this country only 10 this establishment are
now, through the efforts and example OF MT.
Smith, produced In green houses all over the
country. Directly north Of the centre OF the
greenhouse, on the opposite side OF the main
avenue, is being Constructed a basin one hun.
dred feet In diameter for a fountain, the de-
sign for which 10 a colossal American fireman
with hose and pipe. This idea Is surely an
Improvement on the traditional aud universsl
sest that statue OF the fireman soldier Els.
worth would be especially appropriate for
that place.
1t 10 Intended to have 10 these grounds every
variety of forest tree Indigenous to the Unite
States, that can be made to adapt itself to this
climatej and there are now growing here
twelve species Of magnoliosi twenty-five spe.
Giles of oaks; thirty-four Of pines; twenty OF
Juniper, and many other trees--in all about
hive hundred species.
The Chinese grass.eloth plant, which was
distributed from this garden throughout the
Southern States before the rebellio 10 now
beginning to attract attention,an viii, doubt.
less, before long, become a valuable article OF
commerce-the length aud hneness OF miro
making II rival to king cotton. u haa grown
here, out OF doors, for nine years, but does not
flourish here as In the latitude and climate OF
Charleston. s. U. The wall OF one OF the small
brick buildings 10 thiokly and beautifully COW
cred with that kind OF Ivy that has become
celebrated on the walls OF Melrose Abbey.
As q place Of resort for residents and So
journers In Washington, 1t must become one
Among the most pOpulAr as aOOn as the hIIinR