ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 151 



The square immediately west of the Capitol inclosure was selected by the 

 Joint Committee on the Library as the most suitable for the location of the 

 public greenhouse. The two small buildings on the Patent Office Square have 

 been, as was required by the appropriation contained in the deficiency bill, 

 approved May 15, 1850. removed, and by the use of such of the materials as 

 were suitable, reconstructed. And to afford ample room for tbe care N and 

 preservation of the botanical collection, in addition to these a more commodious 

 building has been erected, which is so planned and located as to form a wing to 

 some more elevated and handsome structure. Although these buildings may 

 answer their purpose, the site upon which they are located will require very 

 extensive improvements in consequence of being so low as to occasionally 

 subject it to an overflow from the tidewater of the canal and some parts never 

 free from standing water. 



To remove this evil and render the grounds eligible for the purpose to which 

 they have been assigned would require the surface to be raised and so formed 

 as to insure a good surface drainage at all times ; by this and walling in the 

 Tiber stream from the Pennsylvania Avenue culvert to the canal this lot of 

 ground would present an entirely different aspect, and, I have no doubt, would 

 be well adapted to the more ornamental features which the artistic skill of the 

 gardener may design for it. 



The cost for materials, labor, etc., so far incurred has unavoidably exceeded 

 the appropriation about $1,200 or $1,300, which sum will be further increased 

 by the subsequent payment of several claims which will be due to persons who 

 have not yet entirely completed their engagements for the performance of 

 certain portions of the work. 



The location and style of execution of these erections have been conform- 

 able to a plan approved by the Joint Committee on the Library. This plan 

 contemplates a more elevated and ornamental structure, of which the present 

 central building, as before stated, is designed as the eastern wing. 



In his report for 1851 the commissioner said, with reference to the 

 improvement of the grounds west of the Capitol, that the work done 

 consisted — 



In taking up and resetting 200 feet of curb and pavement on the south side 

 of Pennsylvania Avenue ; trimming and graveling the east front of the Botanic 

 Garden and removing and replacing the fence on the south side of the same ; 

 filling earth on the garden square, when it has been offered at a low price ; 

 and filling in a triangular space on the south side of Maryland Avenue east of 

 the canal. There yet remains of the appropriation for these objects $229.31 

 unexpended. 



No appropriation has been made for the last two years for the improvement 

 of the Botanic Garden Square. I have now presented estimates for some 

 additional buildings for the plants and for filling up, draining, and laying out 

 the square in a suitable manner. The sum asked is all that will be necessary 

 for the improvement of this ground until it shall be the pleasure of Congress to 

 inclose it with an iron fence. 



From the same report it appears that a part of reservation No. 17, 

 " lying on the west side of New Jersey Avenue has been selected as 

 the site of the public nursery. It has been suitably inclosed and a 

 stream of water conducted to it by permission of the heirs of the late 

 Daniel Carroll, of Duddington, from a spring on their mansion 

 grounds. This square of ground is now ready for the use for which it 

 was inclosed." The site of this public nursery or propagating garden 

 seems to have been changed in 1857 to a small, triangular reservation 

 between Third Street and Four-and-a-half Street and Missouri Ave- 

 nue and the canal close beside the Botanic Garden. 



In a report to the commissioner in 1853, W. D. Brackenriclge 

 stated : 



The idea yon suggested to me some time ago, of asking for an appropria- 

 tion to fili up the low square on which the public greenhouse is situated, is an 

 improvement which, if you succeed, would redound much to your credit, as it is 

 one of tbe most unhealthy sinks in our city — so much so that the men employed 



