Evening star., 1934-03-01

until his death In 1917 was its jealou.
champion and friend.
The record Of Mr.. Smith In connec.
ton with the Botanic Garden was
chronicled by The Sunday Star at the
time of his death. July Z, 1912, in
part. as follows:
For years, Mr. Smith was known a.
the Governments 'arboriculturist,
though there is no such Federal ONCE
His title to recognition in this respect
was derived from his long service as
the superintendent of the Botanic
Garden. When he came to Wash
ington the site Of the garden was q
swamp, draining into Tiber Greek, at
that date the Capitals open sewer. It
was the abode Of Shiny snakes and
other crawling things the breeding
ground and hotbed Of malaria. He
transferred it into thing Of beauty,
filling 1t in with fertile soil and plant
ing 1t to trees and shrubs.
During the half century and more
that he piled the husbandman's art
in Washington and elsewhere in every
State and Territory Of the Union, he
set out In this reclaimed morass and
miasmatic fen thousands Of rare,
scarce and valuable trees and other
plants gathered from every latitude
and cline. From this arboretum mill
lions Of useful shoots and seeds have
been disseminated over the land.
Public Always Welcome.
There was no man. woman or
child, no matter of what station of
life. who was not welcome at the gar
den, of which he was in charge. To
and beauties Of the thousands Of
vines, plants and flowers within the
garden which he developed from .
barren morass Of 60 years ago to its
present state Of perfection. To others
he spoke Of his priceless collection of
the work Of Robert Burns within the
library of his home, a collection that
represented his life's work and which
is surpassed by none in this coun-
try. and by but one in the world"
This collection Of "Burnsiana" has
been given fitting exhibition space in
the Scottish Rite Temple at Sixteenth
and r streets.
Editorially, The Star said: Here
in his quiet modest. painstaking, en-
thusiastic way. w. r. Smith worked
zealously to create an American love
of trees and plants. to increase the
respect Of the people for natures
products, to broaden their understand
ing Of the wonders that are to be
seen In every park and forest. 1t Is
impossible to measure the benefits
which Washington has derived from
this mans work, in the maintenance
of respect on the part of lawmakers
for the park principles upon which
Washington City was founded One
has but to look today at the Botanic
Garden and to compare. it with the
conditions that existed so years ago,
when it was little more than a mo-
rass. to realize the beneficent crea-
tive touch of Mr.. Smith. 1t was char
acteristic of the man that he should
throw himself with intense determi-
nation into the fight against every
proposition Of park invasion. Of tree de-
struction, Of building trespass upon
the Capitals reservations"
Rapid Progress.
Rapid progress had been made by
Mr. Smith in developing the Botanic
Garden as early as 1859, according to
a report in The Evening Star Of Octo-
ber 10 of that year.
The Botanic Gardens at the foot
of the Capitol" says the report. nov
are well worth visiting. Sinuous
gravel walks. tastefully bordered
with box invite the visitor through
labyrinthian garden, where, on all
sides. the senses are agreeably saluted
by the grateful perfume and varie-
gated colors of rare and beautiful
flowers Of infinite variety, and among
them are specimens. many Of which
perhaps two-thirds Of our people are
totally unacquainted with except from
books, which at best imperfectly de-
scribe them. For instance, the
'Christ's thorn of Palestine, the
prickly shrub from one of which hun
dreds Of years ago, the Jews plated
the crown of thorns,' which was
placed about the head Of our Savior.
is growing here, and Is at the time Of
this writing in full blossom It Is a
tough growth, bearing small chestnut
shaped dark green leaves in profu-
sion, between each of which there
shoots out fine. strong thorn about
one inch in length as fine and sharp
as a cambria needle. The flowers are
small yellow and without fragrance.
The English yew grows here beside
that of the Canadas. and in close
juxtaposition the weeping ash Of