New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-02
THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM.
A PARK AND SCHOOL OF NATURAL HIsToR Y

| BOSTON, July latter wcarisOme negotiations
and delays treaty seems to have been finally con-
cludei between Harvard College and the City Of
Boston. by tn, terms of which the Arnold Arbo
retum passes under the JOINT prOpretorshp of these
hign contracting par les, the lasting credit and
advantage ofieach. 10 ten years ago whom an
endowment of money and 100 acres of land were
made available to he college for collection. SCI
entIfcaliy aud Systematically ordered, OF all such
trees as could endure the climate of Boston, ltwas
not accordance with the spirit of this foundation
that an educational force of such magnitude should
expend itself solely upon the students and fellows
of the university OF upon the specialists who will
resort to the Arborrtun to enjoy its unrvallcd IA
clities Tor research and comparison Instruction vi
more popular kind is also offered here. ana ne
teaching Is lust what is needed and what VIII be
most readily needed by the people at large. The
grodnas too, are accessible beng actually within
the limits The college, therefore. proposed to
transfer the fee Of the property to Boston on cond-
ion the city should ~ add foryelght acres to
tIc territory already held, ~ build aud MAINTAIN
| narrow road SON, three miles long through the
grounds and t3 assume po Ice charge OF the whole
At a comparatively trliing expense the city thus
acquires n spacious park, with pleasantly diversified
surface. bold emlnences winch command broad
views, rugged slopes clad with fine
! growth of old hcmlOcks, and natural
| woodlands all adm rably adapied for pur-
| y SIS of rural recreaiIon while the great Nv
! ing mnseum. unique i'll its comprehensiveness
and having the best science and trained ski, of the
| cole. e behind it, throw open all It's dendroloSi-
cal treasures Tor Tree pIolc education and enjoy
| nent forever. On the o her hand, the Arboretnm
gains suitable and d g mi 20, appro iches while the
and acquired i, valuable, uot only because II al
for quality Of soil nee led for the oest develop
ment OF certain tree specie' but because 1t will re-
else a considers5, space forexpenmentsIn sylvcui-
turc which would otherwise be needed for the scen-
Ihc collection.
With the cxceptI II OF n thick belt of ornamental
trees. rich H. variety and fail of lusty lille, already
eslabl SHED along one bordr of the gro nds none OF
tn persianent planting o. the ArJOretum has YET
been undertake.. Eager friends have chafed ut
The delay for long years at hes must intervene
before the tree, VIII be teaching tAeir mature lessons
IL Il pain, however. that If they are grouped
according ther botan cal aiin ties the entire plan
mist b. conpleta before a single specimen can be
planted where II IL certain 10 re nnn. Inc ony up
prolch 10 elasticity IA the scheme will bc The al
low ancc for probab r discoveries which may add to
the species already known sccnc', AMI ihese new
corners must find u among their near relatives
in the fam les wher, they belong. Af.er each tree
u established in III soil and with the aspect best
snitcd TO It, holding 1T the same tme It's
other inJIyI luh' and genera, 1t VIII
re nr,clc,lly impossible 10 revise a part without
shifting the who.c The origIna arrangem ent must
therefore be- fla and the problem Is sufficiently
puzz .iug without being conpl Gated by any oSslble
shifting Of me plantation limits. While the college
ana cl-y were coming 2 ther by slow and formal
approaches the boundaries of the ArDOretun r.
NAMED uncertain ami planting was deferred from
year 10 yer Untll tn treaty was ratified the &C
tuai placing oil the collection could not begin But
alter all the delay IL hardly to be regret ed The
wears o study hy hos VINO have the enterprise in
chang have not been wasted. Ample as was Pro-
lessor Srrgeat's equipment for his studles rs
director fivs wears ago. here can be no doubt
that the vile range Of investlga ION be has
conducted and the comprehensive experience he
has gained especially III his labor as Special Agent
Oh .ic C,nslls III charge of forestry statistics, VIII
rnahI. INN now to map out his work with SIN
bo,arr and trerr and hrner hand. The Importance
of TINS preliminary training can be understood
when if is remembered hat unlike other collections
winch have grown up unsymme trica!ly from meagre
beginnings. the Harvard Arboretnm is 10 be es-
sentiaiy complete i'll scope aud plan IRON the very
gu set.
rhe protected road WINS among the wooded hills
of the park ri IN on easy contour lines to a con-
course On lie MOCK HUI and another Oh a still
.lgner em,ncnce in tue natural forest Ihrongh
line ground now open its course Will
IN. tine thread upon which the classified
Tree groups will be beaded This
d # of the work has been designed by Mr.. Frederick
Law Oins. ed, whose counsel mas been largely ILL.,
strumen,a III brn ing aoOu, The AR ement between
Tia, city and the 90 lege Ii is proposed to plant
cer.ain number OF rees say half dozen, to repre-
snt eacn species and dis met variety. tine species
belonging q each genus oring placed together and
t,,, re trra .lted in family groups.
Ia accordance with this scheme all the multifOm
ya ties of iativa AMI exotic oaks will DC grouped
with the feien ches nuts. beeches, hornbeams and
hsizels which be oag to the same great family In
the section devoted conifer the various genera
and subordinate classes in the yew cypress and
pine families will planted III their
uroner po,ition The families themselves |
W II Nc distributed according 10 their ahnities,
as ne ermned by the most approved classification
and tie visitor IN ii gle circuit OF the grounds
will be able to in,aect the entire arb1reSccnt Yege-
tation of tn, zone scientifically ranked and gradeI
Ia the area devoted to systematic planting land
scapr effect will bs seoOn larry consideration, Ont
n time the stately groups disposed about open |
gladcs will make an Impressive display. Here the |
landscape artist the nurseryman, or the owner Oh
private grounds can stu!y the ornamental value OF
very variety which viii flourish in the climate
Tn accurate history of each individual winch Is |
made "A matter OF record from inc Jay Whoh 'he |
srslis planted, will show the rate of growth and |
other particulars Tho museum OF woods, accessible
tables of fuel value strength and other comparative
qualities of different varieties will afford needed
data Tor students in economical forestry. and III |
hundred WAYS the collection will be a school where
irces can he conveniently and satisfactorily studied
in all their relations to the wants and comforts and
enioyments of man.
II must not be understood that the Arboretum IL |
making no pro sress because of the delay in be-
ginning the systematic planting. Correspondence