from one point of attraction to others beyond it, such an entrance 

 scheme would be incalculably more effective than the present 

 one, and as already indicated could be made to fit in with almost 

 any final treatment of the main cross-valley near the Museum. 

 If actually put into execution before the latter was finally 

 planned, it would involve some path-building and other minor 

 changes in the valley which would have to be regarded as tem- 

 porary and subject to modification. For that reason and because 

 they are otherwise so closely related to the vicinity of the Museum 

 we did not include this group of entrance improvements with 

 the others listed in Part III. But if the Managers, in view of 

 the urgency of other matters and the large cost of any radical 

 improvement in the vicinity of the Museum, should see fit to 

 postpone decision as to the latter for a long time it might be 

 worth while to consider the improvement of this entrance inde- 

 pendently thereof. 



IN CONCLUSION 



The purpose of this Report is in part to point out needs and 

 opportunities for bettering the grounds of the New York Botanical 

 Garden, in part to set before the Managers, some of the rather 

 complicated and far-reaching considerations which ought con- 

 stantly to be kept in view whenever a decision affecting any part' 

 of the grounds confronts them, in order that they may make 

 each decision wisely for the Garden as a whole and avoid snap- 

 judgments. 



It is not in itself a program, but it may become a useful basis 

 for a program to be adopted by the Managers, definite as to the 

 near future and tentative as to the more distant future. 



It is not at all in the nature of a set of plans and specifications 

 for all or any of the modifications suggested. So far as any of the 

 suggestions it contains may be embodied into a program by the 

 Managers, the first step in the physical execution of any part of 

 that program should be the preparation of plans and specifications 

 so thorough and detailed that the Managers, with the aid of their 

 various technical advisors, can assure themselves in advance 

 exactly what is proposed to be done, just how it is to be done, 

 how it will affect other parts of the program, and what it involves 

 financially and administratively both in first execution and in 

 proper maintenance. The Managers and the Director-in-Chief 

 of the Botanical Garden are in a wholly different situation in 

 such matters from the owner of a private estate, whose purposes 

 may be admirably served if, with a fairly consistent and intelli- 

 gent idea of the kind of place he wants, he authorizes a succession 



l39l 



