70 ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 



Street NE. and the taking line of the Anacostia Park as far north 

 as North Carolina Avenue, comprising some 50 acres of moderately 

 high ground adjoining the taking line of the Anacostia Water Park. 

 While this will be readily accessible later, when the street car lines 

 are extended along East Capitol Street, and is capable of enlarge- 

 ment by extension into the Anacostia Water Park, its topography 

 and lack of variety of soil make it comparatively unsuitable for con- 

 sideration. After careful examiation it can not be recommended. 



Anacostia and Virginia sites. — That area shown on the park report 

 of 1901 lying across the Anacostia opposite the present termination 

 of Massachusetts Avenue and extending eastwardly from the Ana- 

 costia up the slopes toward Bowen Road has many points of advant- 

 age for a tree arboretum but does not seem to be suitable for a 

 botanic garden, there being too great a preponderance of steep topo- 

 graphy. Although the soil is varied and well drained, the exposure 

 is a northwestern one and open to the heavy winter winds. The 

 examination made showed that it could not be recommended. 



Search was also made on the Virginia side near the Aqueduct 

 Bridge, especially in the region of Mackeys Hill. The entire area 

 under consideration on the Virginia side did not seem to offer any 

 particular advantages, either as to accessibility, exposure, or phy- 

 sical adaptability. Similar lands to those occupied by the United 

 States farms of the Department of Agriculture are too low to give 

 the variety of topography needed for this particular purpose and 

 are too cold and foggy at certain seasons of the year. Besides, por- 

 tions of these lands have an unfortunate way of baking very hard 

 in the summer, probably owing to nearness of the ground water ^o 

 the surface. Investigation along this side of the river indicated that 

 there was no site which satisfies the conditions. 



Department or Agriculture, 



Washington, July $1, 1917. 

 Col. William W. Harts, 



Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, War Department. 



My Dear Col. Harts : The tract of land to which you have called 

 attention in your letter of April 26 has been examined and its suit- 

 ability as a site for a botanical garden considered. I recognize the 

 desirability of having a creditable garden at the National Capital, 

 and the importance of botany to the development of agriculture in 

 this countr} 7 makes the establishment of a botanical garden a matter 

 of practical importance to this department. 



A botanical garden developed in the District of Columbia should 

 provide sufficient space in which to arrange plantings for the proper 

 park effect, and the tract suggested affords ample space for the de- 

 velopment of a large garden, valuable both as a city park and for 

 the permanent planting of native and exotic plants. The land of 

 this area ranges from the tidal flat to an elevation of 239 feet at 

 the top of Mount Hamilton, and while not presenting the rock ledges, 

 such as are found in Rock Creek Park, still affords steep slopes, 

 changes in elevation, and a general contour so desirable in the devel- 

 opment of a botanical park. With this area suitably parked, the en- 

 trance into Washington from the northeast on the highland near 

 Mount Hamilton with the broad avenue leading to the Capitol would 



