Evening star., 1914-02-06

geological reservation be usea fer the
suggested national siisoretgn and botanic
garden.
Points Out Opportunity.
The Landscape features Of i national
botanic garden arr paramount. Nothing
but pare vanGsIiSm could ever take away
the present Wild features OF Rock creek
Park No amount Of money or artist ;
skin could provide elsewhere its natural
rocks and trees and nrecipitous. wooded
Stops Ana what a magnificent setting
and hack ground all this is for other land
scare effects. one supplemenung the
otler.
There are several reasons, in my
opinion why Rock Creek Fark out
classes all other sites on earth for a
national arboretum and botanic gar
den.
First. because OF its size. All ma
tionai gardens of foreign capitals are
hampered for space.
Second. becausa of its already mag
nificent natural beauty. its numerous
lilltops, its graceful slopes. its water
facilities, its variety of soil, its acces-
sibiIity.
Cites Cost of New Gardens.
Now Kew Gardens. near London.
=
kcw's now picturesque slopes were
manufactured. Its soil, it's water ac-
commodation for lake and pool were
obtained at enormous cost. Its now
delightful landscape effects have cost
generations of time TO perfect. all of
which. free of cost, we have here in
cur very midst in Rock Creek Park as
magnificent beginning.
What has Kew done for England ?
Its mana cement tells us that a ma
tional garden should be the center
around which all minor establishments
OF the sort should be arranged. aiding
in everything that Is useful Medicine.
commerce, agriculture. horticulture
landscape gardening and many
branches of manufacture derive much
benefit
Those contemplating parks or gar
dens elsewhere go to Kew for study
ing what and how to plant, with OBJ
ject lessons also in landscape effects
4 noted English landscape architect.
Mrs. Marteneau. lately told US here in
Washington how Kew Gardens had
inspired horticultural societies over
all England. one consisting of 5000
members; how they have encour-
aged garden planting among the la
boring classes that almost every
dwelling, however small, has its bit
OF paradise in the back yard; how this
makes for wholesome occupation. for
love Of home and country. One may
say much the same for the modest
dwellings of Germany and Holland
American Back Yards.
Mrs. Marteneau said, as politely as
the subject would permit. that back
yards Of America seemed to be generally
places for drying clothes and receptacles
for various articles
Of DTIr ind a
homes and towns. We, OF America. need a
national headquarters, for the same kind
of study that may be obtained at Kew.
W. also need To know that from a purely
practical point OF view. that the chiefest
asset of a private home or Of a town lies
in It's beauty
Though six miles from London. the an
nQaI visitors at Kew tcoming from all
parts Of the world, number ;;.o0p,eoo Il
is privilege they have of going 10
paradise without having To die for it.
one Of the most charming features OF
Kew lies in its hillside effects. its masses
oI one C0lOs in seasons Of blosSorniTS
Tii.v hays- tOr instance. their rhododeII-
tI:9n season. tlieir hae. azalia. poppy and
ms seasons. the choice OF flower being OF
the hardy kind and iittle expense to keeE
-'Mrs. Narteneau spoke Of the probable
;.jtHl american type ui garden, wheT
IT, american juniper Mil become as Ia
43't=+S .tS iilc C5 press Ut ltalS.
Glimpse of Beauty.
"t'ancy some of our Rock Creek hill
si5rs - masses - pink laurel. and again
in - ariiHg'1t yellow of our golden rod
SAW. last ssa--E.r. a golden rod hillside
at the Arnold -Nrho9vtum Cnear Boston,
What about q hillside of yuccas frou
cur western plains. whose wealth OF whit,
OF marvellous i,eat:ty2 As for that. tn,
ways of original Landscape effect az,
legion with the great wealth u plant an,
trse life ~ our disposal
a noted bofanist tells mo that the
various slopes OF Resh creek Pari,
would provide a wider range Of TEN
+ p'ra'utg for Planting than could be
n obtained ON level ground For example
plants from Il further southern or
northern climate could flourish on those
s,tiit heru Or northern slopes.
IN tte distant future those hill tops