20 
The North Addition—Vhis tract of nearly four acres of land 
at the north end of the Garden, between Brooklyn Museum and 
Mt. Prospect Keservoir, has a frontage on astern Parkway. The 
eastern Parkway gate will become the main entrance to the Gar- 
den as soon as it is built. The design for landscaping the North 
Addition has been prepared by Mr. Caparn, and is shown in per- 
spective as the frontispiece of this Report. The plans were ap- 
the City of New York and 
the contract was advertised for public letting. Bids were opened 
proved by the Art Commission ¢ 
on September 22, 1932, but the lowest bid was $975.50 in excess 
of the amount appropriated by the City. Before the matter could 
be adjusted, it became necessary for the City to cancel all ap- 
propriations for permanent miprovements for which contracts had 
not been let. 
Appeal to CW A.—In December, 1933, application was made to 
the Federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) for funds for 
this purpose. Preliminary approval was given before the end of 
the year, and it 1s anticipated that work on this improvement will 
begin early in 1934.* Plans for the three entrance gates were 
also laid before the CWA. 
Maintenance of Grounds.—TVhe history 
of pubhte parks and gar- 
dens in the United States has, in general, been characterized by 
fairly generous provision of land and quite inadequate provision 
for proper maintenance. The latter is due to a number of factors, 
but the underlying cause is the lack of sufficiently high ideals of 
maintenance, or a willing subordination of such ideals to other, 
and often unworthy, considerations. For any close approximation 
to perfection of maintenance one must look to private estates. 
3ut, fF due allowance be made for the wear and tear by hundreds 
of thousands of visitors a month, there is no valid reason why a 
public garden may not be kept in as perfect a state of maintenance 
as a private one. In fact, there is every reason why it should be. 
oe ” 
“Yes.” is the prompt reply, 
Prue,” is the answer, “ but the fundamental need is the wish. 
but this requires money. 
* Since the above report was written, the North Addition projeet has been 
approved and funds provided by the CWA. Work began on February 
with 15 men under the supervision of Mr. Caparn. There was then about 
5 
one foot of snow on the ground and the soil was frozen to the depth of 
six or eight inches. 
