Evening star., 1917-05-06

Mrs. Roosevelts beech has grown into
a graceful tree.
There are several trees within the
grounds planted by the children or grand
children of Presidents. At the northeast
corner of the mansion is an American
elm of admirable proportions. which was
planted by Scott Hayes in 1880. Each OF
President Harrison'S grandchildren emu
lated their grandsire in this regard. There
is a splendid scarlet oak towering direct
ly over the northeast gateway. which was
planted by little Marie Mckee. Her
brother also planted scarlet oak, and it
is growing today at the west Of the east
driveway-the second tree north of the
sweet gum planted by his distinguished
grandfather. Between the gates of the
east driveway and the foot walk, on the
outside of the north fence. is storm
beaten plane tree which has an interest
ing history. On its shaggy trunk the bull
letins were posted during the sad sum
mer days when President Garfield lay
dying within the mansion.
But 1t is the south grounds which
display the greatest beauty in mid
summer. There the wide. winding drive
ways are lined with trees of broad
spreading branches, whose LEAKAGE is SO
thick and green that they lend the Sc
clusion of a great forest to this en-
chanting garden. Many of them look
as though they might be of centurys
growth, but the great majority of them
are not of half that age. 1t was during
President Fillmore's administration that
Andrew Jackson Bowling. who intro
duced the English system of landscape
gardening in America, was commits
stoned by Congress to lay out the Mall,
Lafayette and Franklin squares, as well
as the Presidents grounds Mr.. Dowl-
ing made charming designs. but he had
only begun to put them into execution
when he met an untimely death. His
designs were carried out, however, and
some of the oldest trees now standing
in the park were planted under Presi-
dent Fillmore's supervision.
The tall Norway and Austrian pines,
with the classic cedars of Lebanon, on
the two knolls in the south grounds. as
well the two French magnolias
standing to the south of the state din
ing room. date at least as early as this
period There are other trees in the
grounds which were planted then, some
silver lindens, American ash several
varieties of naples and a few oak trees
The two great elms at the north of the
tennis court were planted at that time
as We're the three spruce trees west of
the court.
The most notable changes in the
park in recent years were made under
President Grant. He had the iron fence
which bordered the circular walks of
the north grounds removed and the
lawn was then thrown into its present
spacious proportions. At the south the
two executive avenues, east and west
of the mansion, were cut to grade and
opened to the public. The low lands at
the south of the park were filled in and
were planted with trees and shrubbery
by the late George II. Brown. who was
then the landscape gardener of the bu-
reau of public buildings and grounds
and who was really the father of the
Washington parking system. Mr.
Brown also removed a small fountain
that faced the south .portico and put
in the large one which now graces the
south park.
A noteworthy change which has been
made in the grounds under President
Wilson's administration is in the CO.