The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-02-01
A Beginning Made On the MOa-
lalIa Estate.
MINISTER DAM0N'S PLAN
Had the Thought for Many Years.
Director From Royal Botanical
Gardens-AsPleasi Future.

Some day Honolulu will have as one
Of its 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
climes flourish in the Islands with in
telIigent care. Moanalua valley is
easily accessible at present from the
city and the beautiful estate is own
ed by a son of Hawaii who has long
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 u years ago he had constantly
given some attention to this project.
While the place is now beautiful and
attractive he considers the enterprise
10 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 and
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
jsh 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 well as many famous
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 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-
taJion in Moanalua will be a road
from the public thouroughfare mauka
10 the head of the valley. The view
all along is charming. There will be
many pretty sights seward. In the
botanic gardens proper will be collec-
tons of growing and Towering things
from all quarters of the globe. These
will be for the pleasure of the sight
seer as well as for the use of the stud
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
10 some of the estates he had seen in
England and to others he had heard
Of with acres upon acres of hot houses.
The conservatory area here need not
be so extensive as in cold countries.
but it will be ample for botanic work
and for the most delicate plants from
the tropics
It was stated by Mr. Damon that he
hoped as speedily as he could to have
The grounds reach the stage of devel-
opment that would warrant him in an
nouncing that they would be open
at frst-to visitors say an afternoon
week or month. Some system on this
order that will prove satisfactory will
be adopted. 1t may be some time be-
fore the grounds are considered by the
owner TO be in suitable condition or
advancement for exhibition or for
pleasure use All who learn of the
project will certainly wish it every
success. 1t will be beneficial in every
way to the people and the country.