24 



we therefore advise, it will be practicable to form a sheet of water 

 having mo;e than twice the accommodation for skaters of that in the 

 Central Park. The Central Park lake, though many objected to it 

 originally as larger than necessary for any artistic purpose, while it 

 occupied space which might be otherwise used to advantage, is al- 

 ready found much too small for the comfortable accommodation of 

 those who are prepared to use it, and many turn from it, in conse- 

 quence, to those small ponds where the payment of an admission fee 

 secures greater space to individual skaters. If this is now the case, 

 the need of very much larger skating space will be a very pressing 

 one in the future, as population increases. We cannot doubt that a 

 sheet of ice in Brooklyn, equally near to the present centre of popu- 

 lation of the metropolis, and more than twice as large as that in the 

 Central Park, would soon attract a larger number of persons than have 

 ever yet resorted to the latter. This number has on several occasions 

 been above one hundred thousand in a day and five hundred thou- 

 sand in a week. If we consider that the opportunity afforded for 

 this recreation would be worth in the acquisition of health and vigor 

 to the whole body of citizens an amount equal to a dime for each 

 visitor, it will be evident that the whole cost of purchasing the land 

 in view, and of constructing the lake, might be defrayed by the 

 use which would be made of it in a single season. 



Supposing the more hilly land to be covered by plantations, and 

 a green-sward to be formed upon the open ground which we have 

 described, and the low plain to be mainly occupied by a lake, we 

 have the three grand elements of pastural landscape for which we 

 were seeking. What remains consists of limited strips of surface, 

 generally stony and somewhat rough, and may be left to be treated 

 incidentally, as before explained. To the important features of the 

 greensward, the wood, the lake and the hill, the roads and walks 

 must be accommodated in such a way as to give the visitor the besi 

 advantage, consistent with ease and comfort, for enjoying whatever 

 charm they may be made to possess. Before referring particularly 

 to the system of communications, however, it will be best to speaJi 

 of certain other detached arrangements. 



Besides the green, our study provides three places, each adapted 

 to the assemblage of large numbers of people, and tor their remain- 

 ing together for some time at rest. 



