The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
THE BOTANICAL GARDEN.
MUCH ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED IN
BROkX PARK.

Ages ago nature did heroic work in carving
out site for the New York Botanical Garder
in Bronx Park. Glacial ice broke Off chunks
OF trap rock at the Palisades and transported
them acrose the present valley Of the Hudson
to help TO batter Ind grind the mica schist and
Kness which prevail in the district into odd
holes and ruts. Heat and cold waged a war
which split and rent the native rock and left
the fragments lying in picturesque confusion
The melting ice sent rushing torrepts to the
Atlantic. and tho foods turrowed the
land into gorge and valley. hollows
and dells. In the very heart Of the
land reserved for the garden the waters
cut a channel sixty or seventy feet deep. and
imprisoning themselves between walls Of solid
rock have fretted and fumed along their rocky
road TO this day The more tardy waters
fingered in the hollows and formed boys and
marshes which still exist. fed by springs from
higher sources in the rocky hills Thus every
variety OF growth finds fitting habitat in the
25O acres of land reserved for the garden.
There are broad meadows for the grasses and
the economic gardens; bog for tho sedges.
flags and lizards tails and other mud loving
plants. and clear running water and quiet
leRoons and the like for the lotus. which de-
lights In clear waters and bright sunshine
There are tree-shaded lowlands dear to the
ferns and no end OF scattered rock and ledRcs
that tho lichens delight to cover. while brook
side and woodland furnish fitting homes for
the MOSES. &c.
Dr. N L. Britton. director~in chief OF the
Botanical Garden. resigned the chair OF botany
at Columbia to assume his present place
Samuel Henshaw the head gardener inherited
his taste and talent for botany from his father.
who in turn learned the art from his father
These men. with q small but effective corps OF
assistants, have had much to do and much
more still remains TO be done. although every
advantage has been taken OF the natural feat
ures Of the garden
The conifers were the first trees to lodge on
the rocky crests Of the gorge through which
the Bronx River now flows. Later the oak
ash. hickory. beach ana chestnut appeared.
but the evergreens still prevail and the bit OF
wild land. some sixty acres in extent. is called
the Hemock Grove. Every picknicker to tho
park. and there are $1,000 visitors every Sun
day and holiday. becomes familiar with the
grove. being irresistibly Iawn there by its
natural beauty and cool. shaded retreats and
sotudes 1t is designed to leave this tract in
tact for the benefit Of the students of forestry.
1t Is nearly or quite a century and n half since
Lorillard. the tobacconist. built the big stone
house on the east bank of the gorge which
tanks the grove. In ali these years the grove
has been almost totally undsturbed by the
axe OF the woodman. Its value forest pre-
dead trees were discovered In the whole tract
last spring. when DR.. Britton and Mr. Henshaw
explored II thoroughly with a view to having
all such useless lumber removed. They found
few trees which had been levelled by storms.
but In the main the denseness OF growth is
self-protective in effect against the most vio-
lent Of storms which occur in this neighbor-
hood Gravel paths will be constructed through
the grove. but the greatest care will be taken
- ,l,,nl
10 alter the picturesque wildness of growth.
Only three years have elapsed since plans for
The garden were submitted to the Board Of
Managers and adopted. During tho brief Pc
riod which has elapsed work has progressed
quietly but steadily under the supervision OF
Or. Britton and Mr. Henshaw. 1t has now
reached q stage to attract the attention Of the
most unobservant visitor and convert him inro
III earnest inquirer as TO what It all means In
the main the visitors questions remain unan-
swered, because few except those most d.
rectly interested In the work are able to tell
more than that the garden is for the instrur-
ton OF those interested In botany and that the
public to man. is to share In the teaching
The popular branch OF the scheme is simple
ty itself. but entails a stupendous amount
pf work. The first evidence the visi-
Tor has OF II 10 the labels attached to
hundreds Of trees and plants throughout
she garden. He may pass dozens Of trees
without noticing the labels or caring to read
chem II he does. Suddenly he Ia attracted by
bome specimen. Then he reads the label and
will probably remember at least the more
familiar name 1t gives. II he cares to carry
bis almost unconscious study further the label
Tells him the botanical name OF the Individual
The genus to which It belongs and the great
family of plants which it represents and the
land OF it's nativity. If he observes its foliage.
fruit and bark carefully he will be able to
recognize its mate further on in the forest or
by the roadside without referring to its label
II he cares to identify even its near relation
be will be obliged to analyze its blossoms and
truit and study its covering. habits OF growth
and style and character OF root and branch
and foliage: but this Ia the work OF schools
and universities which the garden was de-
kig1ed to supplement on the one hand and to
As all roads are said to lead to Rome. so all or
IN Rr used as eah to
lion The road fronting the mansion leads
the TsdP Pf nS qa hH @
down the wooded slope of the Bronx Valley to
the westward and across broad meadows and
lhis point. Ths grassy hill rising. east bey9nd
pear Of the H amly to which Ky uiip
trees belong. Do2cns Of thriving, young trees
81 this hin and reached only by a by
path not to he noticed readily nursery
established Tho site was selected for
is romnotencss from general tronic be,
garden makes tho protection, Of plants from
because the straight lines OF n nursery arc ad-
xnntageous rather than ornamental Here are
thousands of young plants in various stages of
hourishinG growth. representing the rare fora
OF many lands, 1t being designed to use the
nurseries mainly foI tn" cultivation OF plants
not readily obt aimed by purchase from COM
mercial nurseries. and especially for the cult
walton Of species intended for the systematic
plantations and for experimental purposes
Among the seedlings is a large Japanese col
lection that has developed many yet unnamed
specimens with which neither DR.. Britton nor
Mr.. Henshaw is familiar, The nursery has
a ready been drawn upon for several thousand
plants which have been permanently located
In various parts OF the grounds.
the economic garden which. as the name in
dIcates. Is to he devoted To- the growth of
products. and grouped As far as possible ac-
cording to the nature IF their products West
ward again a short walk lends to turn in the
road. and across low rustic bridge known as
the blue bridge Just why It so named is
not clear, Il this bridge was ever painted blue.
time and the elements have long since re-
moved all trace OF the color Just above tho