9 



APPENDIX. 



LETTER TO MAYOR STRONG. 



August 28th, 1897. 

 Hon. William L. Strong, 



Mayor of the City of New York. 



My Dear Sir : 



Referring to the request of the Commissioners of Public Parks, 

 made July 19th, 1897, in pursuance of the act of incorporation of 

 the New York Botanical Garden and its amendment, that the Board 

 of Estimate and Apportionment authorize the issuing of the bonds 

 for the erection of buildings for the Garden, I would submit the 

 following statement : 



The Board of Managers of the Garden have fully complied with 

 all the requirements of the act of incorporation, this act having 

 been previously cordially approved by the City's officials. They 

 have raised by subscription the sum of $264,000.00, and have also 

 enlisted the support of 542 annual members, who pay ten dollars 

 a year. 



They have already accumulated over 2,000 different kinds of 

 herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees in the grounds and in a tem- 

 porary greenhouse, which are already serving a considerable 

 educational function. 



They have conducted extensive preliminary operations in grad- 

 ing rough banks, filling and draining low places, clearing up rub- 

 bish, and otherwise improving the grounds. 



They have brought together by purchase, gifts, exchanges and 

 deposits over 700,000 specimens for the Museum Building, and 

 over 10,000 books and pamphlets, and have conducted popular 

 lecture courses. 



Their expenditures from their own funds for these purposes and 

 for surveys and plans have been over $25,000.00. 



The Commissioners of Public Parks in 1895 approved the 

 selection of the site for the Botanical Garden, and in accordance 

 with the act of incorporation appropriated 250 acres of land in 

 Bronx Park for the purposes of the institution, and this allotment 

 of land was duly accepted by the Board of Managers. 



