38 COLUMBIAN INSTITUTE FOR THE 



west, the Potomac River being on the south, as the site for the uni- 

 versity, 1 and added: 



Conceiving (if there be space sufficient to afford it) that a botanical garden 

 would be a good appendage to the institution of a university, part of this square 

 might be applied to that purpose. If inadequate, and the square, designated in 

 the plan of Major L'Enfant for a Marine Hospital, is susceptible of that insti- 

 tution and a botanical garden also, ground there might be appropriated to this 

 use. If neither will admit of it, I see no solid objection against commencing 

 this work within the President's Square, it being previously understood that 

 it is not to be occupied for this purpose beyond a certain period; or until cir- 

 cumstances would enable or induce the public to improve it into pleasure walks. 



The establishment of a botanical garden at the National Capital 

 was also not infrequently the subject of communications by various 

 writers, printed in the public press and elsewhere, in which the im- 

 portance of such an institution both to the science and application 

 of botany was discussed. In the opinion of a contributor to the 

 National Magazine for December 1, 1801, 



Perhaps nothing would tend more to benefit this city and the Nation at large 

 than that the seat of the general government should be the depository of the 

 arts and sciences. With this impression, I have sometimes speculated on fanci- 

 ful improvements, and imagined the President's house converted into a National 

 Museum, where, as in Paris and London, a National Institute might be estab- 

 lished and lectures read. * * * Such speculations, however glad I might 

 be to see realized, are attended with difficulties, which do not obstruct the fol- 

 lowing lands being appropriated for public use, which are well calculated for 

 the purpose. I cannot help recommending it to all those who wish to promote 

 a scientific knowledge of the various branches of agriculture. The plan I pro- 

 pose is to lay out about 50 acres of land for a botanic garden in this city, in 

 the following manner: 



The writer then proposes five branches of the garden, each of 

 which he describes with considerable detail, while several others are 

 merely mentioned. The first was a Linnean garden, calculated for 

 the botanist who studies plants scientifically, and designed to contain 

 every possible variety of plant. The second was a cattle garden in 

 which should be grouped separately the plants preferred by, whole- 

 some or unwholesome to, cattle, sheep, horses, goats and swine, re- 

 spectively. The third was a hay garden, to contain all plants of 

 which hay can be made, which, with the preceding, would serve to 

 instruct the practical husbandman. The fourth was an esculent 

 garden, to show every plant which furnishes food for man: while 

 the fifth was a dyer's garden, containing all plants which afford any 

 assistance in dyeing colors. The other provisions were for rock 

 plants, creepers and climbers, bog and water plants, marine plants, 

 an herbarium and a nursery. Included in the scheme of the writer 

 were also extensive series of lectures, both scientific and practical. 



lr This site was subsequently used for the Naval Observatory, and is now 

 occupied by the Hygienic Laboratory of the Bureau of the Public Health Service. 



