The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-01-29
BOTANIC GARDENS
A Beginning Made On the M0a-
nalu Estate.
MINISTER DAMON'S PLAN
Had the Thought for Many Years
Gardens-A Pleasing Future.

Some day Honolulu will have as one
of it's features the Damon Botanic
Gardens at Moanalua. This is one Of
the best places in the whole world
for such an adjunct to the life and
cultivation of the people. All varie-
ties of flowers and plants and trees
and vines, from all zones and all
cIimes flourish in the Islands with in
telligent care. Moanalua valley is
easily accessible at present from the
city and the beautiful estate is own
cherished thoughts of the time when
he would be able to tender to the pub
lie the pleasure and general benefit to
be derived from a botanic garden
worth the name.
In an interview yesterday, Minis
ter Damon said that since he had come
into possession of the Moanalua ranch
some Il years ago he had constantly
given some attention to this project.
While the place is now beautiful and
attractive he considers the enterprise
to be merely in an early experimental
| stage and at this date he is still engag-
ed with his means and his personal at
tention upon what he is pleased to call
preliminary work. In every detail ana
particular of the botanic garden idea,
Mr.. Damon has the sympathy and CO.
operation of Mrs Damon, who is quite
an enthusiast in the matter.
The botanic garden work proper is
| now under the supervision of Donald
Mcintyre, a graduate of the Royal
| Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh, where
| he served for seven years, going then
to the estate from which he was Sc
cured by Mr.. Damon upon recommen-
dation of DR.. Balfour. director of the
Edinburgh gardens. The latter place
| is one of three supported by the Brit
| ish Government One garden of the
other two is in Ireland and the third
| to be mentioned brings out the name
of the famous Kew gardens Both Kew
and Edinburgh as we'll as many famous
| private and public gardens have been
visited by Mr.. Damon in his own in
terest for the Honolulu gardens. The
British system is earnest and business
like. Young men are taken as stud
ents at these gardens and are taught
scientifically and practically and they
are always wanted for positions at home
or abroad Immediately upon finishing
the course. Graduates of these three
| various gardens are in charge of gar
dens, grounds. estates, parks, etc. all
over the world. Several of them have
| lately gone out to China and Japan.
A number are in Africa and a very
large contingent in the United States
| Mr.. Damon has definite plans that
| he does not care to disclose at this
time. Part Of the scheme of ornamen-
| tatiOn in Moanalua will be a road
from the public thouroughfare mauka
| to the head of the valley. The view
all along is charming. There will be
many pretty sights seaward. In the
botanic gardens proper will be collec-
tions of growing and Towering things
from all quarters of the globe. These
will be for the pleasure of the sight
ent and the advanced investigator.
The gardens cannot but earn in a very
short time an international reputa-
ton. There will be exchanges with
all the great gardens The grounds
in Moanalua. owned together as they
are with the water by Mr.. Damon. are
capable Of being handled to advantage
that is lacking in many of the gardens
: now best known.
Reference was made by Mr.. Damon
to some Of the estates he had seen il
England and to others he had heard
OF with acres upon acres of hot houses
The conservatory area here need no
be so extensive as in cold countries
but it Will be ample for botanic worl
and for the most delicate plants from
the tropics
1t was stated by Mr.. Damon that b.
! hoped as speedily as he could to hav,
the grounds reach the stage of devel
opment that would warrant him in an
nOunclng that they would be open
at first-to visitors say an afternoon
week or month. Some system on thi
order that will prove satisfactory viii
! be adopted. 1t may be some time be
3 fore the grounds are considered by tn
| owner TO be in suitable condition O
advancement for exhibition or 70
pleasure use. All who learn of tn