New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-20

BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE BOARD
OF SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORS.
A meeting Of the Board Of Scientific Directors
~ the New-York Botanic Garden was held IN
tho offices OF the Knickerbocker Trust Company.
No So Proadway yesterday afternoon at which
q long steD toward completing the Botanic Gar.
don MANS was taken. Robert Maclay who oy
,irtue Of his office as president Of the Board OK
Education. is a member OF Inc Board OF scien-
tidc Directors. presided over the meeting, whhe
DR. Nathaniel L. Britton. professor OF botany !"
Columbia College. was secretary. Inc n's.
business done was TO authorize toposrapn''@'
survey Of the $50 acres OF land IN Bronx rum
which have been set aside for the exclusive USE
of the Botanic Garden. TEIs was done In the io'-
lowing resolution: ,,
Resolved That the scientific directors ~ ~
a topographical survey OF the area a.iot,ed " VIC
arden excepting the Hemock Grove, ana tne prep
n, q a,S s o hs nc map Nth i've foot
tours and request the Board OF Managers 10 ap
ihat the arpangemenis for surveys be
referred with power to the eomm rss ve To- the
location of the garden
COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF THE sCR'Ef'
This survey which is Of the most I'M
portant steps 10 be taken in starting me great
garden. will be made under the i'm ediate d.
rect,on Of a special committee OF the Board OF
Scientific Directors. The committee CONSISTS VI
Professor j. +. Kemp. of Columbia College, fro-
fessor Thompson, Of the University OF New
work and Professor Nathaniel l.. Britton. OF
Columbia College. This committee VIII get &c
work in a few days and will Immediately take
measures for beginning the survey, wnich VIII
he completed in about six weeks. The great OBJ
iect of this survey is to determine the topo-
graphical features OF the garden lands the po-
sitions Of the trees and their several character
istics the location of hills and valleys. the po-
sitiors Of marshes and outs anding rocks, ana
the borders of the Bronx River, which nows
through the garden. Speaking TO Tribune re-
porter on this feature of the work Dr. brltton
said I'm certain sense the success OK inc
Botanic Garden. from scientihc point OF 'ie"'
will largely depend upon the accuracy ana ehor-
oughness Of this typographical survey. The gar
den in order TO attain its highest success, must
be laid out strictly in accordance with us 'opo-
pranhical conditions Certain soils and confor-
nations of rocks are vastly advantageous ior
the growth Of certain plants. while they would
he detrimental to most others. The marsh landss
which might be regarded as useless under gen.
raI conditions will prove invaluable to an inn
nortant feature OF plant life intended to be cui-
tivatsd in the garden Groups Of trees nave
tbe,r advantages and disadvantages In great
garden OF this kind. and their exact location
must be determined upon before selecting SITES
for our buildings. Hills and valleys, WOODLANDS
and cleared spaces, water fronts ana oaeh-
stretches all have their own peculiar uses
which in order to be utilized to the best ad-
vantage must be located before we can go on
with the work of building and laying out our |oo
acres into garden
There Is also a very important work TO be done
uh,cb although 1t does not come directly under
Nj
ried on with IT, That is the work Of determining
,h. character and properties of the various kinds
-, soil I'm o,,r 90 acres This work Will be done
{, the most thorough manner possible. ana We
homo 70 have the entire preliminary work com"
pleted in six weeks.
ALL THE TREES TO BE LABELLED.
Another important step taken by the Scieh-
u6c Directors yesterday was that Of ordering the
trees in the park to be labelled. and the sum OF
S,oo was requested for this purpose. AT present
bers are from 300 to 400 in the go acres OK
tho botanic Garden representing some thirty
| var,aties The labelling will oe done In the most
| substantial manner. An iron plate three-eightns
| ~ an inch thick twelve inches long and eigne
inches wide will be provided FOR each OF the "a
| or trees while smaller plates VIII De proslae1
| for smaller trees The plates VIII be paih,eu
| white while the raised letters VIII De painted
| blue So that they will be easily egioie irou'
| carriage in the drveways On the Top Vi Sa.A
| nlate will be the name "NeW-fork botanical uai-
| dsn., in large letters Under that VIII De inc
English name the tree. In capital letters, anu
| below will be the botanical name IN oruinaiy ~.
ters while at the bottom or the pate wiz pe mo
| nam. NJ the country from which the plant comes.
DR. Britton had specimen plate at eie M -
| ing Yesterday and IL met the entire appro'ai VI
| the Scientific Directors. The work Oh castihs ueso
| mates win be begun Immediately. and as soon
| as they are ready they will be attached 10 '"o
| trees now standing in the garden.
| The prospect Of the early beginning OF the iohS
nromsed garden has already attracted thousands
| ~ people 10 the park Last Sunday the GROUNDS
were filed with pleasure-seekers ana II Is ;,,
pected that within TWO weeks d" INC W ~
| be duly labelled
| NEW VARIETIES TO BE SECURED.
| II was also resolved 'tha, the secretary De au'
| thorlzed to purchase from Il. F. Bush, of Inde-
pendence Mo. certain packages OF seeds OF p'an's
desirable for cultivation. at cost not to exceed
| S. and that the Board of Managers be requested
| TO audit the bill for the same" This Is another
steo that locks like business. 1t so happens that
| Mr. Bush is in a position to supply the Botanic
Garden with seeds of typical prairie plants at ,is
small cost. These plants are mostly Oh we
| Ing kind and just soon as II can be determines
| which soil In Bronx Park Is best adapted ZOE
their growth the seeds will De planted 80 'ha' W
| next year the plants will be in bloom.
| The last business transacted az yesterday
| meeting was the adoption OF the following
| Whereas The Board of Commissioners OF inc
| Department OF Public Parks has IN accol u1,le'
| with the request OF the New-fork Botanic S aid
| den. allotted and set apart for the uses OF sass
| garden 2j0 acres OF land in the northern par. OK
| Bronx Park as shown upon a map thereof NUM-
| bered 56S and signed by Messrs Vaux ana far s
| sons and filed with said Department or Parks; ana
Whereas. BY the terms OF said aio,meh'; Se,'an
| restrictions are imposed against cutting down or
| pruning trees or making other changes In the
"Uemlock Grove" included In said go acres, except
| az IN said allotment provided; therefore
| Resolved. That the said allotment, with the re-
| str.ctlons aforesaid, be ana they hereoy arc
| adopted and accepted
| The above has reference TO the hemlock grove
! which forms such an attractive feature In tho
| park II is proposed to preserve the grove AZ
FAR as possible in Its natural beauty.
| LOCAL BUSINESS COxPLICA TONS.