24 ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 



The Chairman. During what period of years did you have charge, 

 Gen. Harts? 



Gen. Harts. I was in charge from about 1913 to 1917. I went to 

 Europe in the autumn of 1917 and was separated from this subject 

 which was of tremendous interest to me at that time ; and it has also 

 been of great interest to me since, so that I think my memory is very 

 clear on a good many points. 



The Chairman. Who preceded you in that office ? 



Gen. Harts. Col. Spencer Cosby, of the Engineer Corps. 



The Chairman. And who has it now ? 



Gen. Harts. Col. Kidley has it now. He has been there nearly 

 three years. 



In looking over the District of Columbia we were very desirous of 

 finding a place which would give us great diversity of soil and ex- 

 posure, which would be suitable for the different purposes for which 

 a botanic garden is intended. 



The Chairman. Were you in the Engineer Corps, too ? 



Gen. Harts. Yes, sir. 



The Chairman. Does the Superintendent of Parks have to be an 

 engineer ? 



Gen. Harts. Yes, sir ; it is so by law ; it is limited to a member of 

 the Engineer Corps. 



In connection with our studies I made a visit to several botanic 

 gardens ; I went to the New York garden, I made a study of the Kew 

 gardens and other gardens in order to find out right where we stood 

 in comparison with other countries. 



In the course of our work we examined sites on the Virginia shore, 

 sites on Potomac Park. Rock Creek Park, and a number of other 

 places in the District of Columbia but found that from the questions 

 of cost, area, exposure, and other conditions the Mount Hamilton 

 tract appealed to me from the beginning as being an exceedingly 

 desirable place because it was comparatively easy to obtain, inex- 

 pensive ; it had a magnificent exposure to the eastern and southern 

 sun : it had a variety of soil on account of its over 200 feet elevation I — 

 I think it is the second highest point in the District of Columbia. 

 It has magnificent rich soil in the lowlands, and this changes to a 

 very poor rocky, soil on the top, all of which gives a variety between 

 these extremes. Possibly the area might not have been enough, but 

 Ave thought that 100 acres would be approximately the area that we 

 should have for a central botanic garden. Besides adding to the park 

 system a botanic 'garden placed in that locality would afford a 

 beautiful approach to the city from that direction. I think a report 

 was prepared with regard to the desirability of having a botanic 

 garden placed on that site. The location of the gardens on that site 

 had a double purpose: it not only gave us a new area for botanic 

 gardens which was especially large and apparently adequate, but it 

 also combined with the park system and gave us an opportunity for 

 development of another section of Washington. Out in that neigh- 

 borhood we have at the present time the Reform School property: 

 we have the area for Anacostia Park, which is now developing very 

 satisfactorily and will be a marvelous place of city improvement 

 in the course of a reasonable number of years. If, at the same time, 

 we could join with these two pieces of public property a botanical 



1 Sec map MS. end of vol. 



