New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-19
FOR A BOTANICAL GARDEN.
PLANNING A NOTABLE INSTITUTION.
IT is TO BE A POPULAR RESORT AND TO HAVE
AN EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
SIDE AS WE'LL.


AN EDUCATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
SIDE AS WELL.
New-York Citys need of a botanical garden worthy
az the metropolis OF the New World must have struck
most OF her citizens who have visited the beauuiui
displays Of lawn flowers shrubs and trees at LONDON
Paris Berlin and other European capitals IraVeners
find these gardens among the most attractive places
Of interest open TO sighsees and large numbers Oh
the people Of those cities spend pleasant afternoons az
the botanical gardens. 1t is natural that company
lively new city like New-York should not be so wen
provided with great public resorts as are the oiuer
centres OF population the Atlantic but N us
Central Park American Museum Of Natural History
and Metropolitan Museum Of Art, this city nos 0er
tanly made more than hopeful beginning.
The feeling that NewYork ought 10 have an lhsutu-
ton Ike the Kew Garden or the Jardin des Plantes
cfystalzed several years ago IN movement IN 'iio
Torrey Botanical Club looking to that end' Ihis Or
sanization which Is the only one Of the KIND IN this
Dart OF the State would naturally be the one 70 Ieo
In such project Its president Is Judge AuuisOn
Brown, Of the United States Dstrct court wno .,
predecessor was Dr. John s. Newbcrry, proies9o' -
Columbia College The subject was discussed OF niee.
lpgs OF the club held ct the home Of etJndge Ouic.
p Days wife, she being enthusiastic supports, "a
the project The club has many lady menlOe'e' ""N
they took an active part in the discussion
MAKING A BEGINNING
Finally the following Committee on Botanic Garden
was appointed: Mrs Charles P. DAILY, MRS. Lena ~
ter Cowdn, Mrs. Louis Fitzgerald Juoge nuO ~
Brown. Dr. John S. Newberry DR.. L. +. hHe, -
N L. Brltton, DIT. H. II. Rusty, {. r. coA' a. s1o
UollIck. secretary and Thomas Hogg chalflhSn IA,
exchange of views in the club showed that an
49, -rtih a tvro-fod character was favored In 'nc
est nloce tho garden should, of course, be pi"eo
~ recreation and pleasure, where the eye snouu ~
do,icbted with beautiful flowers from all JANUS a.
t,canv cot ont with stretches OF green iaWh'
bridges and noble trees. the seoohu IN, nrd.n
should not however, be lost slgnt Oh i"o T,
shonld be of O scientific and educauohai - .hs
horId be the Headquarters of botanical suuuy M ~
siOuu 70 1o and centre for the collection the
ItivatIon and the study, in their hVlhe iO"' ,S
rho dora of his continent and OF the reoV VI Wv !, mos
Tho interest aroused in the project wnehe|oi 80
,.oaobod uyas great and general. Every oi0 D"
something TO say in It's favor; no o'io =, .he
AGAINST IT, The scientific and edpcaVoi.a So ,o,ary
nroposed garden appealed TO those lnterc " .ns itv
hi,o every one recognized the advantage 70 .n0 80
W., ~. onor,e ~ a resort and show place OF the A'A
,ootinr such widespread appreciation tor 'non - g.
4bo members of the committee set about iooAine ~
euitahIe site Having the example Oh oi'0
y, Az ond Natural History in their mind they won'
rst 70 the Park Board and applied for us
THE PARK BOARD FAVORABLE.
,,,,,. ,ras AZ once obtained. The Commissioners,
rnon motion OF Waldo Hutchins, adopted inc
resolution: .,. =, this BOARD
,.4 osooroto snare should be provided In one Oh
Io ,tv narks for a botanical garden II at any lini'
S, +ba years 1850 or 1890 any Individual OF asSo-
io+on shall provide sufficient means for inc eS'aoS
ment OF such a garden" NIL. ,,no-
The movement did not, however make Sii'U'o"Y ~.
gross in the allotted two years to render
offer of the Board Judge Addison Brown ana eA'uuso
Day however, appeared before the UoHnl'S' -,
last December to ask for an extension Oh wv -
They found the Board still in favor Oh uer P "-s
n raeolp+ion was amended by the SUBSTITUTION Vi
90, and 1902 for 1899 and 1880 1t Is us.e" |naO
the proiect will reach a stage before 1875 wheio ~
setting forward Of the limit OF time VIII DC hoVu
This resolution was not in itself sufficient "ihouS
legislative enactment, but it gave encouragement ~
tho promoters Of the enterprise.
Further meetings were held and succesSiui oioi :.
made 10 obtain the cooperation Of persons interested
In aoricultnre The next step was to draw up On ac1
ror the establishment of the garden This was. not
ouch nm easy task as the question OF now 10 ulUc
tbc two features OF the plan was dlmcule one i0
Garden was to be an attractive park, and at te Same
time scientific institution. OF this second sue 'e
General pubc would know and care little, but IL was
ion +ha the first Characteristic would )usty inc a0
ing Of aid from the city,
ADVANTAGES OF BkONA PhHh 40 ~ Sill
The site of the garden was another important
nrohler but one which was Of easy solution. VISITORS
~ tho various new parks In the Annexed DStnct
soon convinced members of the Torrey Botanical Cup
that Bronx Park offered the most advantages. ~ 10
easily accessible, has protecting timber, 1er'ne SOL
diversified By low lying and higher land, ana uo
nrony River running through it would furnish the
needed water in abundance, Deslues @1"Ano ~ WV
charms of the place.
In natural beauty ii IS surpassed by no Ouier Vi
the city parks according 10 the opinion OF persons
who have visited them all. 1t has always Deeh d
favorte haunt OF artists and amateur photographers
and contains ravne that reminds one OF inc AuAfoh
dacl, in its rustic charm 1t is proposed 70 use -'
acres for the garden, which IS more land tha 10
prsed in that at Kew. Indeed, 1t would DC ulho ulU
to find anywhere In this state a plot more inviting
TO the landscape gardener and to the botaIAs1 Inc
garden at Kew naturally comes to mind as Iiouei
for the proposed institution and the Bronx ferA e
certainly surpasses it in fertility In variety u SUI
and topography, and in natural beauty.
A bill was finally introduced which 1T Is believed
is as free from Objectionable features as IL wen can
| be. This measure which was introduced III Vnc
| Senate by Senator Cantor and passed III March, 10
entitled "a bill to provide for the establishment on
botanic garden and museum and arboTetum III bronA
Park, New-York"
FEATURES OF THE BILL
II Incorporates "Tbe New-York BOTANICAL "aiueI'
and says that the purpose Of the ASSOCIATION sA oS
| the establishment and maintaining Oh OooAnio-1
| Garden and museum and arb6retum therein, tor nie
collection and culture Of plants flowers, shrubs ana
trees. the advancement of botanical science ana
knowledge and the prosecution Of original researches
therein and in kindred subjects for aforins nsuruc
ton in the same for the prosecution ana e1nOion VI
ornamental ard decorative horticulture ana sdLuee
oa Co.. th, ontortoinment recreation and instruction
| of the people"
The cornorar,on IS 10 raise $4,000 for establishing
| the botanical garden The Park Commissioners are
directed to set apart $50 acres in Bronx Park tor tn'
use Of the association. and to construct witmh u'
grounds suitable hreproof building for such potsil
meal museum and herbarium with lecture-rooms an'
laboratories for instruction. together "i'h oner
hdIn1s Gov tha rare and culture Of tender or othe
nlons indigenous or exotic, and at an aggregate cos
not exceeding sum upon which the annual interes