ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 143 



that year, but there is no evidence of the placing of the so-called live 

 fence until near the close of 1823, when the planting with honey 

 locust of three-fourths of the distance on Pennsylvania Avenue was 

 reported. 



The above relates wholly to the smaller area covered by the first 

 grant. How and when the added tract was inclosed is not shown by 

 the records of the societ}^. A more elaborate form of inclosure than a 

 board fence or hedge began soon to be agitated, however, but being 

 far beyond the means of the institute relief could only be obtained 

 through Congress. On the suggestion of Thomas Law, it was recom- 

 mended on January 28, 1826, that Congress be petitioned to authorize 

 the sale of public lots, and the use of the proceeds thereof in building 

 a stone wall and iron railing around the ground and satisfying 

 other needs of the society. The extent of this wall was placed at 

 2.925 feet, and its cost at $1,000. On April 21, 1832, an estimate for 

 a brick inclosing wall having been submitted, the secretary was di- 

 rected to communicate the same to the Committee on Public Build- 

 ings of the House of Representatives, and on December 15 similar 

 action was again taken, but none of these requests met with favorable 

 response, though the subject was brought before the House, possibly 

 on more than one occasion, the last being on June 7, 1834, when an 

 appropriation for the purpose was stricken out, as the existence of 

 such a wall would be an obstacle toward the western extension of 

 Capitol Square, which was already in contemplation. 



Improvement and care of the ground. — When the Institute took 

 possession of the ground it found two small frame houses built upon 

 it by a Mr. Baily, who had obtained a 10 years' lease from 1813 of a 

 considerable tract of public land extending to Seventh Street, but a 

 settlement of the owner's claims was soon effected. On October 6, 

 1821. a committee recommended the layout of two ponds, one formed 

 by a large ditch encircling an island, the other in still lower ground, 

 to be dug entirely out, which would serve for a fish pond and for 

 many other purposes, both to be elliptical in shape. On December 

 1 of the same year it was reported that about half the ground had 

 been plowed. The committee on the garden was authorized on 

 .June 7. 1823, to ascertain the practicability and advantage of con- 

 veying the water of Tiber Creek into the reservoir of the garden, 

 and during October following walks were laid out and certain level- 

 ing of the grounds was done. 



The first report of progress and of conditions was made to the 

 society on December 6, 1823, and was, in part, as follows : 



The ground for the garden has been completely drained and partly leveled 

 and is in a great degree fit for cultivation. An elliptical pond has been formed 

 144 feet for the transverse and 100 feet for the conjugate diameter, with an 

 island in the middle 114 feet by 85 feet. The canal that surrounds it is 15 

 feet wide and 24 feet deep. There is also a drain from the spring leading to the 

 pond through the center of the ground and from the pond to Tiber Creek, with 

 a conduit at the lower side of the pond by which water can be either let into 

 or out of the pond. At high water and a spring tide 24 feet of water flows into 

 the pond, which can be there confined by putting a plug into the bore of the 

 log, or the water can be nearly all let out and kept out. The island wants still 

 to be leveled for cultivation and the upper side of the pond to be deepened to 

 produce a level. 



Four walks have been laid out — one on Pennsylvania Avenue, one on Mary- 

 land Avenue, one opposite the circular road around the west side of the Capi- 

 tol, and one in the center of the ground leading to the pond. The three walks 



