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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PLANS. 
Submitted December 14, 1896. 
To THE Boarp oF MANAGERS OF THE NEW York Borani- 
CAL GARDEN: 
The Standing Committee on Plans, to which was referred 
the report of the Plans Commission, dated November 30, 1896, 
respectfully reports its approval of the provisional plan sub- 
mitted by the Commission for the development of the Garden, 
with the recommendation that it be adopted. 
During the work of the Commission this Committee has 
been kept constantly informed of its progress, and has been 
from time to time informally consulted on various important 
points. From this previous knowledge, as well as from the 
Commission’s printed report and accompanying maps, and 
from repeated inspection and study of the grounds, this Com- 
mittee would express its approval both of the work of the 
Commission and of its methods. 
A botanical garden is a combination of various different 
elements. No one person would probably claim to be an ex- 
pert in all; nor can any one botanic garden be taken as a 
simple model for another. Each is a special study, having 
reference to its site and topography. In our case, especially 
from the diversified character of the ground, frequent and 
careful study of it on the spot was indispensable. This has 
been obtained from competent experts in the various depart- 
ments, who, being employed here, were able to give, in the 
fullest degree, constant personal attention and repeated in- 
spection on every point. Besides this, the Committee has 
sought the advice of the persons in this country believed to 
have had the most experience in such enterprises, so far as 
they were accessible to the Committee; while several of its 
individual members, during the past five years, have en- 
deavored, by repeated visits to the principal gardens of Europe, 
to obtain the benefit of the widest experience there. In Mr. 
Vaux, for planning the road system, we have had the highest 
