Riggers moving a cut nnd polished log of fossil wood (Aravicarioxylon) onto the east parking lot, July 1984. The main 

 building is to the left, with the east-wing freight entrance and guard's kiosk behind. 



beds of summer annuals on the east, west, and north 

 sides not only are pretty, but equally important, provide 

 a source of nectar for the bees that fly out each day 

 from the Insect Zoo. 



A sad story is the plight of the American elm trees 

 {Ulmus americanus) along Constitution Avenue. They 

 are dying one by one from Dutch elm disease. In the 

 196()s, one in front of the north entrance died. Late in 

 the 1970s one died at the northwest corner, toward the 

 National Museum of American History. In May 1984, 

 another near the north entrance died. Before its stump 

 was removed, one of the scientists counted the tree rings 

 and found that it dated from about the time of the Civil 

 War. In 1983, when the Washington Redskins won the 

 Superbowl and thousands came to a victory parade on 

 Constitution Avenue, Smithsonian guards had to clear 

 people from the younger trees to save the trees from 

 being damaged. Other elms along Constitution Avenue 

 are about fifty years old. In anticipation of the death 

 of a giant elm on the southeast corner, a hackberry 

 {Celtis) has been planted nearby next to the dawn red- 

 woods. 



When the new Museum was erected, Rathbun noted 

 that it was parallel to the axis of the Mall but at a slight 

 angle to B Street. Constitution Avenue is now parallel 

 to the north side of the building, but the building does 

 not sit squarely on its lot. There is a bit more of a border 

 on the west side of the building than on the east, though 

 it is not obvious. Ninth and Twelfth streets used to cross 

 the Mall but now pass under it in tunnels, which en- 

 hances the appearance of the grounds. A large copper 

 European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is on the southeast 

 corner of the parking lot. The District of Columbia 

 highway engineers had it marked to be cut down so 

 that they could build their Ninth Street tunnel with a 

 minimum of fuss, but the conservationists won, and the 

 Museum kept its tree. 



Next to the north entrance are Korean azaleas {Rho- 

 dodendron mucromulatum). Buckler is particularly pioud 

 of these, for their very early, delicate purple flowers 

 bring dozens of telephone calls from the public each 

 year. The shrubs are deciduous, and flower each spring 

 before any leaves develop. 



Although the overall setting of the Museum has im- 



Oulside the Budding 



195 



