The National Zoological Park 451 



great results were to be expected from such inadequate 

 means. The preparation of grounds alone must necessarily 

 be very expensive — the proper laying out, planting, and 

 improving for park purposes being estimated by experienced 

 authorities at from $3,000 to $5,000 an acre. 



It was at once determined to procure the best possible 

 professional advice for the general planning and laying out 

 of the park, it being felt that the utmost care should be 

 taken to preserve the extraordinary natural beauties of the 

 region, and that none but a master could be expected to 

 adapt to the needs of the project so charming a piece of pic- 

 turesque rural landscape. Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, 

 whose reputation as a landscape architect is world-wide, was 

 asked to give his advice, and visited the park on several 

 occasions for that purpose. While it has not been possible, 

 from want of funds, fully to carry out the plan outlined by 

 him, it is hoped that no serious errors have been made, and 

 that the leafy retreats of this lovely valley afford much the 

 same pleasure to the tired citizen that they did when their 

 beauty was known to few beyond the wandering naturalist 

 and the solitary rambler. 



It being impossible, with the resources at command, com- 

 pletely to develop the entire area of the park, it was found 

 advisable to select a portion of the most available ground for 

 immediate improvement, leaving the remainder in a state of 

 nature. The area selected comprised about fifty acres situ- 

 ated in the most central part of the park, where previous 

 clearings had already made some open helds and grazing 

 land, and where the ground was sufficiently level to offer a 

 variety of suitable building sites. 



Considerable sums were necessarily expended in lading 

 out roads, in protecting the banks of the stream, in form- 

 ing ponds for aquatic animals, and in planting and otherwise 



