144 ESTABLISHMENT OE A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 



on the side of the garden are 20 feet wide, with borders of 26 feet, in which to 

 plant trees and shrubs : the center walk or road is 15 feet wide ; the whole is well 

 graveled. The commissioners appointed to drain and improve the public grounds 

 on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue have been very liberal in contributing 

 co these improvements. They have given $100 in cash, and have done all the 

 leveling and graveling, amounting to between $300 and $400 more. 



From this time on there are frequent references in the minutes and 

 other papers of the society to work done in the garden, leveling of 

 ground, making beds, ploughing, draining, deepening of water in 

 the pond, maintaining walks, etc., but no general description of the 

 grounds. The institute had very little money for any purpose and 

 but limited amounts could be expended in this connection, the only 

 help received from outside appearing to have been that above re- 

 corded. In the latter part of 1825 and the beginning of 1826 the 

 garden then having reached its larger size, special efforts were made 

 for assistance. The commissioners, for draining the low ground 

 south of Pennsjdvania Avenue, were first appealed to to cause the 

 garden to be drained, but their funds had been exhausted. Appli- 

 cation was then made directly to Congress to authorize the sale 

 of public lots for the benefit of the institute, as described in another 

 connection, a part of the fund so obtained to be used for bringing 

 water from the eastern branch of Tiber Creek, first to a reservoir 

 in Capitol Square, where it would be " a great security against the 

 progress of fire in case of accident either in the Capitol or any of 

 the adjacent buildings." or from which it might be carried into 

 every room of the Capitol, and " after leaving the Capitol, be thrown 

 up in a beautiful jet d'eau of 30 feet in the Botanic Garden," and 

 subsequently serve to water the garden, etc. 



The warding of a complaint made to the institute by the com- 

 missioner of public buildings on June 9, 1827, relative to some of 

 the work done at that period is now of much interest as bearing- 

 upon the question of maintaining an agreeable and sjnnmetrical 

 vista through the Mall from the Capitol. It also called attention 

 to the fact that the location of the garden brought it under constant 

 observation by Members of Cono-ress. though this never gained the 

 society any pecuniary aid from that body. The eommissioner's- 

 letter was partly as follow-: 



The Botanic Garden belonging to your institute is so directly in view from 

 rbe Capitol that I hope to Ik 1 pardoned for a remark in relation to the improve- 

 ment lit ir. The new section of the Washington Canal was laid out along a 

 line drawn through the middle of the Capitol and of the Mall. The footway, 

 canals, and plantation in the garden do not coincide with this line but diverge 

 from it at an acute angle. Tins discrepancy is so glaring and so very offensive 

 To the eye that 1 am satisfied every person visiting the Capitol would he 

 grateful for its removal. 



I was gratified by the location of the Botanic Garden in its present site 

 from an expectation that it would become an ornamental appendage to the 

 Capitol and that under the eye of Congress they would be induced to foster it. 

 Bui von are aware, sir, that whether it shall become an ornament or deformity 

 depends materially upon the plan which shall be pursued in its improvement. I 

 (latter my sell', therefore, that this subject will be considered not unworthy the 

 attention of your enlightened body. 



The discrepancy was found to be much less serious than the com- 

 missioner had intimated and was soon corrected. On November 20 

 following the treasurer reported to the society that — 



By means of the late expenditures on the Botanic Garden the following 

 objects have heen attained, viz: The ground has been completely drained by 



