LANDSCAPE GARDENING STUDIES 



were confronted, therefore, with a sad condition 

 of things. The great design had never been com- 

 pleted and such beauty as had been secured in 

 large degree had lapsed into decay. 



At the time a commission of experts was em- 

 ployed to confer with the park authorities with a 

 view to devising a remedy for this incomplete and 

 decaying condition of the park, while the press 

 insisted loyally and persistently that New York 

 should safeguard its greatest art treasure from 

 failure and decay at any cost. 



Year after year efforts were made to secure ap- 

 propriations for the prosecution of the work of 

 restoring and renewing the soil and plantations of 

 Central Park, but all without avail. The authori- 

 ties acknowledged the necessity for the work, but 

 considered themselves unable to vote the money 

 in view of the greater necessities of other depart- 

 ments of the city. Finally in 1907, after a specially 

 convincing and complete report had been made by 

 the park commissioner of that time, pointing out 

 where in the park the work should be done and 

 estimating the cost of such work, Mrs. Russell 

 Sage came forward and generously offered to make 

 liberal donations toward the restoration be- 

 cause her husband had always been fond of the 

 park. Her noble gift of more than half a mile 

 of rhododendrons resulted. Thus the great work 

 of the restoration, and also it is hoped of the 

 completion, has been fairly commenced. Surely 

 from one source or another there is reason to hope 

 that funds will be forthcoming to rehabilitate this 



[16] 



