Evening star., 1933-05-03

The only major transfer of authority
recommended by the Budget Bureau
In its draft of the independent Offices
appropriation bill putting the Capitol
Botanic Gardens under the control Of
the Agriculture Department - was
omitted by the House Appropristi
Committee in reporting the bill to the
House yesterday.
This shift was ignored. although the
Federal Government now operates four
Independent sets of greenhouses in the
priations are made through four differ
ent appropriation bills, and some people
contend that economy and efficiency
would be served by an amalgamation.
The Botanic Gardens receive their
support from the legislative bill. and
come under the control Of the Joint
Committee on the Library. There are
Is greenhouses coming under the juris-
diction of the White House, appropri-
ated for in the independent ofices ap-
preparation bill. but controlled by the
once of Public Buildings and Public
Parks. Another set of IA greenhouses
comes directly under the Jurisdiction
Of the ONCE Of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, and Is supported by ap-
preparations In the District appropria-
tion bill for the park system.
Plant Industry Group.
Finally there are approximately 80
greenhouses under the control Of the
Bureau of Plant Industry, Agriculture
Department, which are supported from
the appropriation for that bureau in
the agriculture appropriation bill.
Two of these sets, those attached to
the White House and the once of
Public Buildings and Parks are operated
Jointly by the latter ONCE, although the
appropriations are drawn from two Diff
ferent sources. The line between the
two Is not clearly marked. In the
busy Winter social season, both the
White House and the park greenhouses
are pressed into service to furnish
decorations for the White Houses
festive boards. In the Spring and
Summer. when diplomats leave. and
there isn't much social activity going
on here. the parks borrow from the
White House greenhouses to keep the
flower beds in the parks colorful.
The Botanic Gardens. around which
the present issue revolves, however, are
principally an exhibition place. Until a
few years ago one of the activities CT
the Botanic Gardens was the supply
ing of bouquets to members OF Con-
gress. This practice was stopped re
Gently by act of Congress. A report
OF the House Agriculture Committee
en- this point, filed In May. 1908, says:
THE distribution OF bouquets to
members OF Congress upon the order OF
the chairman of the Library Commit
tee has become q custom which your
committee recommends shall be dis
continued In the future. The annual
cost of this institution has reached the
respectable sum OF about $4,000 and
seems altogether out Of proportion. IN
the opinion Of your committee, TO the
benefits derived"
Educational Exhibits.
At present, according to George
Hess. superintendent of the gardens,
the effort is to concentrate on exhibi-
tions of an educational chara tie, and
also to conduct a museum of rare and
valuable plants available for scientific
study. At the appropriate seasons stu
dents may examine such things as cof-
fee, banana cacao and other tropical
plants growing as on their native
'Neaths.
Mr.. Hess IS opposed to the transfer.
The Department of Agriculture. how
ever. would welcome the change.
The Botanic Garden" said DA Will
liam A. Taylor, chief of the Bureau Of
Plant Industry, would articulate very
well with our other equipment. Our
greenhouses are built especially for
plant experimentation and are not suit