PROMOTION OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 43 



that year, but there is no evidence of the placing of the so-called 

 live fence until near the close of 1823, when the planting with honey 

 locust of three-fourths of the distance on Pennsylvania Avenue was 

 reported. 



The above relates wholly to the smaller area covered by the first 

 grant. How and when the added tract was enclosed is not shown by 

 the records of the society. A more elaborate form of enclosure than 

 a board fence or hedge began soon to be agitated, however, but being 

 far beyond the means of the Institute relief could only be obtained 

 through Congress. On the suggestion of Thomas Law, it was recom- 

 mended on January 28, 1826, that Congress be petitioned to au- 

 thorize the sale of public lots, and the use of the proceeds thereof in 

 building a stone wall and iron railing around the ground and satisfy- 

 ing other needs of the society. The extent of this wall was placed at 

 2,925 feet, and its cost at $4,000. On April 21, 1832, an estimate for 

 a brick enclosing wall having been submitted, the secretary was 

 directed to communicate the same to the Committee on Public Build- 

 ings of the House of ^Representatives, and on December 15 similar 

 action was again taken, but none of these requests met with favorable 

 response, though the subject was brought before the House, possibly 

 on more than one occasion, the last being on June 7, 1834, when an 

 appropriation for the purpose was stricken out, as the existence of 

 such a wall would be an obstacle toward the western extension of 

 Capitol Square, which was already in contemplation. 



Improvement and care of the ground. — When the Institute took 

 possession of the ground it found two small frame houses built upon 

 it by a Mr. Baily, who had obtained a ten years' lease from 1813 of 

 a considerable tract of public land extending to Seventh Street, but 

 a settlement of the owner's claims was soon effected. 



On October 6, 1821, a committee recommended the laying out of 

 two ponds, one formed by a large ditch encircling an island, the 

 other in still lower ground, to be dug entirely out, which would serve 

 for a fish pond and for many other purposes, both to be elliptical in 

 shape. On December 1 of the same year it was reported that about 

 half the ground had been ploughed. The committee on the garden 

 was authorized, on June 7, 1823, to ascertain the practicability and 

 advantage of conveying the water of Tiber Creek into the reservoir 

 of the garden ; and during October following walks were laid out and 

 certain leveling of the grounds was done. 



The first report of progress and of conditions was made to the 

 society on December 6, 1823, and was in part as follows : 



The ground for the garden has heen completely drained and partly leveled, 



and is in a great degree fit for cultivation. An elliptical pond has been formed 



144 feet for the transverse and 100 feet for the conjugate diameter, with an 



island in the middle 114 feet by 85 feet. The canal that surrounds it is 15 feet 



6343°— 17 4 



