CONTENTS 



FRONTISPIECE ii 

 FOREWORD iii 



LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v 

 PREFACE xi 



I. THE COLUMBIAN INSTITUTE FOR THE PROMOTION 



OF ARTS AND SCIENCES (1816 - 1837) AND THE 



FIRST BOTANIC GARDEN 1 

 Founding 1 



Objectives of the Institute 2 

 Congressional Charter 5 

 First National Botanic Garden 5 



Design of the Institute's Garden 6 



Plant Collection and Distribution 7 



Plants Cultivated in the Institute's Garden 11 



Maintaining the Garden 11 

 Other Activities of the Institute 12 



Beginnings of a National Herbarium 12 



Presentation of Scholarly Papers 12 



Collection of Objects 13 

 Reasons for the Institute's Failure 13 



II. THE WILKES EXPEDITION (1838 - 1842): A SECOND 



CHANCE FOR THE NATIONAL BOTANIC 



GARDEN 17 

 Expedition's Scientific Corps 19 

 Anything But Smooth Sailing 19 

 Expedition's Accomplishments 20 

 Expedition's Record: A Permanent Legacy 21 

 America's Response to the Expedition 22 

 Disposition of the Plant Material Collected 23 

 Need for a New Location 28 

 Wilkes Plaque 29 



III. THE UNITED STATES BOTANIC GARDEN: NEW 



FACILITIES IN A FAMILIAR SETTING 31 

 The William Smith Years (1853 - 1912) 32 

 The Garden in the Latter Half of the Nineteenth 

 Century 36 



The Bartholdi Fountain 36 



Conservatories 38 



Botanical Collections 38 



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