52 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY 



ARNOLD ARBORETUM 



The greater part of this beautiful park belonged to Harvard University, having been 

 bequeathed to it by Mr. Bussey. It was named after Mr. Arnold, however, because he 

 bequeathed to the University a fund, the income of which was assigned by the University 

 for a professorship of Arboriculture and for the maintenance of the Arboretum. 



When the landscape architect took up the planning of the Arboretum on behalf of 

 the University, it was of course understood that, so far as was compatible with its scien- 

 tific and educational purposes, it was to be made beautiful and to be adapted for enjoy- 

 ment by the public, and the parkway had, from the beginning, been intended to connect 

 it with the Boston Park System. Study soon developed the fact that its boundaries were 

 not everywhere suitable, and that there were no funds available for drives and walks 

 and other usual park improvements; also that there was only a very remote prospect 

 of sufficient funds becoming available from private munificence. It was then suggested 

 that the Park Commission should add the needed land, should build and maintain drives 

 and walks, water-supply, drainage and other construction, and police and maintain them, 

 leaving the University to attend to planting and gardening matters and to care for the 

 grounds, except certain reservations intended for the exclusive use of the public, and 

 to erect and maintain the museum. The city took title to the land and leased to the Uni- 

 versity the parks intended to be developed and maintained by it. The arrangement has 

 worked well. The city has a park of two hundred and twenty-three acres, at a cost for 

 land of about $80,000, including that covered by the parkway. 



The scenery of the Arnold Arboretum is varied and interesting, the principal features 

 being two hills of considerable size, one of which commands extensive and beautiful views, 

 and the other is valuable because extremely rugged and wild, having upon one part the 

 largest patch of wild hemlock woods in the vicinity of Boston. Partly, perhaps, because 

 of the rarity of a hemlock wood close to a dense population, owing to the ease and 

 completeness with which it is destroyed by forest fires, and partly because of the fact 

 that hemlocks are abundant in remote mountainous districts, the effect of a remote, 

 wild forest could hardly be as well produced by any other tree. 



FRANKLIN PARK 



As an illustration of park designing, the plan and report on Franklin Park is probably 

 the best piece of work, in spite of some disappointments in execution, done by its designer, 

 Frederick Law Olmsted. The topography and ledges and trees lent themselves not only 

 to many pictuesque bits of landscape designing, but afforded, with moderate grading, 

 excellent fields for such sports as are permissible in a landscape park. It is fair to say that 

 much of the landscape was designed, because in its original state it was decidedly different 

 in effect. It was a district of suburban and country residences, with all the usual artificial 

 improvements of similar suburban districts, such as houses, stables, greenhouses, barns, 

 sheds, retaining wails, earth terracing, flower- and vegetable-gardens, orchards, drives, 

 rows of shade trees, walls, fences, streets, electric poles, gas-lamp posts, hydrants, quarries, 

 fields, and woodlots. 



One primary condition of the design was self-imposed; namely, the idea that the 

 greater part of the park should be left unlighted and closed, after a certain hour, for the 



