565 [AsSF^ELT 



Cozzens, of Jersey, and others, to whom the thanks of the Club 

 were voted unanimously. 



Mr. Meigs. — Ralph Hall, Esq. ^ of the Institute, requested me to 

 notice the action of roots of trees on our Croton Aqueduct, as 

 stated in the December report of Nicholas Dean, Resident there- 

 of, and the opinion of Dr. Torrey. 



"The line of aqueduct, passing as it does for many miles 

 through a rich and populous country, intersecting several villages^ 

 and studded in its whole length with country seats, frequently 

 cutting through orchards, court-yards, gardens and pleasure- 

 grounds, subjected the owners, in its construction, to great annoy- 

 ance and inconvenience, to lessen which as far as practicable, the 

 Engineers in charge of the work, as well as the Board of Water 

 Commissioners themselves, did not rigorously insist upon the re- 

 moval of all trees and shrubbery from the grounds purchased^ 

 through which the structure was to be built, but left them often 

 in close proximity to the line of excavation, and within such 

 distance as rendered it too probable that the roots might, at some 

 future day, reach the structure and penetrate through the brick 

 work. This anticipation has been verified. During the examin- 

 ation of the interior of the Aqueduct in December last, it was 

 found, in the vicinity of Sing Sing, that the root of some tree or 

 shrub had found its way through the crown of the arch, pene- 

 trating the cement in which the bricks are laid, Avhich is as hard 

 as the bricks themselves, and had reached, in six months, a length 

 of more than twenty feet. As no tree was growing within a 

 distance likely to send its roots to the point Avhere these were 

 found, some curiosity was felt to ascertain to what particular 

 kind of tree it belonged ; it was therefore carefully removed by 

 Mr. Tracy, placed in water brought to the city, and submitted 

 to the examination of Dr. Torrey, from whom the following letter 

 was received." 



College of Physicians and Sukgeoks, ? 

 67 Crosby-street, Jan. 16, 1S51. 3 



Dear Sir — I have examined the vegetable matter taken from 

 the Croton Aqueduct, which you left with me yesterday. It i» 

 not a fungus, or any other unhealthy material, but consists of the 



