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end, just above the 191st Street Station of the Independent 

 Subway. This new park, estimated at from 50 to 60 acres, runs 

 along the high rocky ridge which is the "backbone" of upper 

 Manhattan, overlooking Riverside Drive and the Hudson 

 River to the westward. The park ends at the northern terminus 

 of Riverside Drive, where the latter comes in to Dyckman 

 Street. The land was acquired about five years ago by Mr. 

 John D. Rockefeller who, after having it landscaped, presented 

 it to the City of New York as a park. The landscaping has been 

 carried out in a most expert manner, and this, together with its 

 natural advantages, makes the area without doubt one of the 

 most beautiful parks in the eastern United States. About 1600 

 kinds of trees, shrubs, and herbs have been planted. In addition 

 to these are a large number of rare trees, planted many years 

 ago, and a wide variety of native trees and shrubs growing 

 mostly near the north end, so that, besides its scenic charm, it 

 contains an unusually comprehensive botanical collection. 

 Furthermore, Fort Tryon itself, which was located at the high- 

 est point of the ridge, was an old Revolutionary stronghold. 



On this particular Saturday, much of the Swiss Heath, 

 {Erica carnea) along the "heather beds" was in flower; Jas- 

 minum nudiflorum, the Chinese Jasmine, which has been planted 

 high up on rocky cliffs, showed pendent festoons of its flowers 

 which mimic the Forsythia most convincingly with their shade 

 of yellow; the Silver Maples had finished flowering, and the 

 Red Maple buds were just ready to open. Cornus mas was just 

 commencing to unfold its yellow flowers. 



Among the other trees and shrubs seen were: Ilex crenata, 

 glabra, and opaca, native Hackberries and Sassafras, Pinus 

 Strobus and Paulownia tomentosa, the two last apparently 

 planted long ago, Carya cordiformis , Prunus avium, and Prunus 

 serrulata varieties (the Japanese Cherries), and Buxus semper- 

 virens, the last housed during the winter in a burlap covering. 



Arthur H. Graves 



