Morning journal and courier., 1880-09-30
Ex-Gov. stanford's Arboretum.
Elaborate Plans for the EmbeIIishment
 of the Grounds Around His Projected
 New Residence at MenIo Park.

Around Protected New Residence at MenIO Park.
 GFrom the San Francisco ChronicIe.l
 Since Ex-Gov. Stanford purchased his es- tate at Menlo Park he has occupied some of his leisure hours in devising rare and novel Improvements to the beautiful drives and
 grounds that surround his house, and to this purpose he has gathered together the choic- est specimens of trees and flowers grown in the State, and also imported many exotics that thrive to such an extent as in a few years to impart increased charm to the landscape by the beauteous variety. The present resi- dence being quite insufficient for his require ments ex-Gov. Stanford resolved to build a mansion that should be an ornament to the State, and in that view he selected site that IS admirably adapted, not only to that pur- pose, but also to show to their best advantage the prominent scenic effects of the surround ing country This new residence will stand almost 1n the centre of plat of ground of some 450 acres, and the approach will be through grand straight drive, bounded by stately elms, slnuous pathways decorated by the choicest shrubs. Surrounding the man. sion all sides will be an arboretum, that promises to be one of the most unique of its class in the world. Under its familiar mean ing an arboretum is nursery in a park where a single specimen of many varieties of trees is grown, but in this instance almost the entire space is to be devoted to oarboriculture the intention being to procure from all parts of the globe, shoots, cuttings plants, and, if needs be, even the seeds of every tree that is likely to succeed in California soil and to do credit to the State. The ground in the vicin- lty of Menlo Park is generally flat, and thus, although many of the estates there money has been lavishly expended in the adornment of the grounds, there is a lack of that artistic finish and effect that can only be produced on undulating soil. In the case of this resi- dence, however. the plans are so laid out as to take every advantage of the undulating ground to improve the aspect, and at the same time to give series of fine views through the seven broad vistas that converge toward the mansion. As may be naturally supposed, it requires a perfect mastery of the details, an intuitive prescience of color and effect, and a perfect acquaintance with the nature of the various shrubs and trees to car ry out these plans to perfect success; but judging from the earnest and intelligent man. ner ln which ex-Gov Stanfords ideas are be- ing carried out, there seems to be no doubt that they will meet with the success that such liberal enterprise so well deserves The views from the mansion can challenge comparison with many famous English landscape, com bining as they do hills and dales that remind one of the pretty County Kent, fine expanse of meadows bounded only by the horizon gentle slopes toward the stock farm, where upon are grazing couple of hundred mares | that represent some of the noblest strains of horse-hesh. both trotting and running, that
 
 with dips and spurs stretching away to the mountains of the coast range that adioin the ! Pacific Ocean a lovely view across the vast orchards toward Menlo Park, and then the ! mountains in the dim distance beyond San Francisco Bay.
 1 As may be imagined, the execution of such ! gigantic plan will necessitate years of pa- | tient study, labor and research. Unlike \ picture, the framework will consume the 1 most time in its preparation, and it may be ! couple of years before the foundation of | the house will be laid. In the meantime, ad. ! vantage has been taken of natural hollow \ near the stock farm that required drain on I only one side to form reservoir of some 20 | acres in extent, access to which is gained by ! a Hume from deep creek some three-quar- [ ters of mile distant, the waters of which \ overflow during the heavy winter rains. This ! excess in it's volume will be used to feed the 1 reservoir but only during such times, the Hume being closed when the creek is within
 it's bounds. This reservoir will serve to | thoroughly irrigate the park, and keep the
 soil in order for the growth of the trees. In ! the grounds there is always a very pretty | sheet of water, some 12 acres in extent, in 1 the midst of which is an island, which will be
 embellished by every ingenious device, and l this lake-fiat, with it's boating and bathing | and it's charming margins, will be one of the
 chief beauties of the place. The plats of
 ground will be very irregular in shape, and ! the 6VGf-cnAQSlnS bGyl6 or trees ana SnfuDS | will give endless variety to the scene Of course, the grouping of these specimens is all
 arranged for finished effect, although years
 may elapse before ex-Gov. Stanfords plans
 are brought to their full maturity. It is pro- ! posed to place the large deciduous trees at ! about 50 feet distance, the outside ones being
 of the smaller kinds, and gradually increas- l ing in height toward the centre of each plot; ] then around these will be planted smaller
 trees, dwindling down to the shrubs, and | then come broad platbands of grass that, in 1 their bright luxuriance serve as frame to
 each picture, and impart to it pleasing sem
 blance to regularity. Last season the ground
 for this years operations was surveyed and l mapped out, and the space, comprising some ! 80 acres, was prepared. In the first place, ] a mass of eucalyptus were planted, in order ! that, through their rapid growth and dense foliage they should afford shelter to the more
 valuable points, especially to those that com ing from the East, are not yet acclimated These will be gradually removed to give place
 to those rare exotics that are to be brought from every part of the world. The first con 1 signment this spring consisted of 4 LOGO plants ] and cuttings, representing every known spec l imen of California arborculture suited to the soil, comprising altogether some 120 varie- ! ties Many of these chosen from our best ! nurseries, were already in the shape of small l trees, and in planting them an ingenious con- 1 trivance was made use of to insure success, l and, at the same time, facilitate the opera ! tion. Previous experiences on the old grounds l had proved that the ordinary method of dig l ging a hole some four feet deep and then filling 1t up with soft earth and ma
 nure, was faulty, as, when the rains came on, l these latter absorbed all the moisture, the I sides of the hole having become as imperme- able as hard clay wall the stagnant water soured the earth, and the roots of the plant, 1 being unable to pierce their confines atgradu- l ally collapsed from want of sufficient nour- .1s is adopted One man goes in front and drills a slight hole of two feet in depth; a second follows with half cartridge of nitro glycerine which third discharges, and the
 result is that the soil is rent asunder, the fis- sures leading in all directions, thus insuring ! good nourishing bed for the plant. This is l a great factor toward the success of the 1 plans, and greatly facilitates the labor on the ! plantation, and it also allows thorough ex-
 animation of the soil that is so requisite in I these experiments.
 Early in March there arrived from New ! York nurseries several consignments of valu-
 ble Eastern and foreign trees. There were ! in all 3, 600 specimens, comprising $40 varie- ties, 300 specimens of azaleas, rhododen- drons, and camelias, and of which there were 119 varieties. Naturally, it would be impos- sible to give detail of all these trees, filling \ as they do 30 pages of the stock-book, and even if we had space their names would be l strange to many of our readers as they are
 almost all couched in the Latin language.
 Sufficient to state that they include every plant propagated at the East that is likely to add to the attractions of this unique park.
 There was also consignment of fruit trees, HOS in number, and of PIP various kinds; ; and as a sample of liberal enterprise we an-
 mex the list of this latest addition to ex-Gov.
 Stanford's orchard and fruit garden; 29o ap- pie trees with 59 varieties; 12 varieties of apricots in 55 of blackberries in 48; B of cherries in GA; 13 varieties of entrants in 7s bushes; of gooseberries in 4S; of mul-
 berries in 40; 12 of nectarines in 63; of nuts in 14 trees, including the celebrated En- glish Albert 45 varieties of peaches in 134
 trees; of Japanese persimmons in 27; 16 of plums in 46; 51 varieties of pears in 153 trees of quinces in 12, and of raspber-
 ries in 36, forming total of l, JOS trees
 and bushes composed of PIP kinds, and these
 simply for one years planting, in addition to a great number of California growth, the l improvement of which varieties is one of the
 chief aims of ex-Gov. Stanford in his full and
 comprehensive plans. The ground is now haino suryeved and manned out for next