154 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Mr. Fuller. — Some have dug up the ground under the trees ! Some 

 cover it with coal ashes. All succeed excellently well when there are no 

 curculio there. 



FENCES. 



Prof. Nash. — We have twice as much fence as we need. Outside fences, 

 perhaps, will be difficult to dispense with. Our wooden fences are very 

 costly, and of short duration. Cannot something like Kyanizing be done 

 to make them lasting ? 



Subjects for next meeting. — By Mr. Blunt, "Fences." By Mr. Robin- 

 son, " Noxious Weeds and Plants — their origin, spread, and how to get 

 rid of them. By Hon. J. G. Bergen, " Grasshoppers and other noxious 

 insects also." 



The club adjourned to Monday next. 



H. MEIGS, Secretary. 



May 23, 1859. 

 Present, forty-five members. Mr. R. L. Pell in the chair. 



[By Mr. H. Meigs.] 

 A BOTANIC GARDEN FOR NEW YORK 



Is one of the most wise and admirable institutions of any people. The 

 world admires that of France — the Jardin des Plautes. in Paris. 



Our learned citizen. Dr. Hosack, commenced one here in 1801. He pur- 

 chased from the corporation twenty acres of land, and in 1806 had already 

 formed the noblest collection in America. It was a spot to which I re- 

 sorted with more pleasure than any other. He expended seventy-eight 

 thousand dollars upon it, and believing that it should be sustained by 

 government, he submitted that idea to our Legislature, who purchased it, 

 to our great joy, anticipating that the power of the State would make it the 

 Jardin des Plantes of the United States. But we soon saw the difference 

 between the care of the learned Dr. Hosack and governine?it employees. 

 The gardeii ran to ruin inunediately. The State finding this, made it a 

 present to Columbia College. 



In the varied progress of our city, the Elgin garden is now city lots, 

 very valuable to our venerable college, U7ider ivhose trees Hamilto7i 

 studied ! 



Yet New York ought to have her Botanic Garden as well as the city of 

 Paris. Russia has a grand one, under glass, where some 1,200 orange 

 trees bear fruit while the external temperature is 30 degrees below 

 zero ! 



Such a garden here should have such a society as Napoleon's, for the 

 acclimation of plants. 



The well distinguished John Stevens, of Hoboken, gave many valuable 

 exotics to the Elgin garden. So did the eminent Chancellor Livingston. 



