119 
The Botanic Garden Library has just received, as a gift from 
the library of the Brooklyn Museum, a copy of the “ Second annual 
address delivered before the Brooklyn Horticultural Society, by 
the president, John W. Degrauw, Esq., December 6th, 1855.” 
The following quotation from this address (pp. 4-6) contains fur- 
ther information concerning the attempt to establish “The Hunt 
Botanical Garden” and the complete failure of the plans. 
“The Society have made some outlays in the effort to establish 
a Botanical Garden, commensurate with the requirements of sci- 
ence, as well as to add a most beautiful adornment to our city. In 
view of this important subject, an early application was made to 
the Legislature for an Act of Incorporation. While the bill was 
progressing before that body, a proposition was presented to the 
Society by Mr. Thomas Hunt, to present the Society with a suit- 
able piece of land, and likewise to subscribe six thousand dollars 
in furtherance of the design, provided that a stock company was 
created with a cash capital of fifty thousand dollars. The land 
offered, was examined by the most competent judges, and they 
reported—‘ That the cost to prepare it for a Botanical Garden 
would far exceed the value of the land, independent of a clause 
that would require an outlay of fifteen thousand dollars.’ Under 
these circumstances the Society respectfully declined the donating 
of the ground to them for the purpose proposed. 
“A short time after this occurrence, Mr. Hunt submitted a 
second proposition. The substance of which was, that William C. 
Langley, Henry A. Kent and himself, were the owners of three 
blocks of land, containing fifteen acres, and bounded by the Fifth 
and Sixth Avenues, in the City of Brooklyn, near the city line, 
and that the persons named would each give to the Society a block, 
making the number of acres referred to. 
“The offer of Messrs. Kent and Langley, was without any con- 
ditions, except the faithful performance of the Society, to create 
a Botanical Garden, and the grounds to be used for no other pur- 
pose. Whereas, Mr. Hunt insisted upon its being made a stock 
company, and that the ground should be completely enclosed by a 
costly iron fence. After considerable preliminary discussion, the 
proposition of these gentlemen was accepted by the Society. As 
