BOTANIC All INDEX. 
43 
nirig one mile west, then north nearly a mile, and joins Central Park at the south- 
west extremity. Douglas Boulevard has a central planting space of one hundred 
and twenty feet wide, a drive on either side of forty feet, twenty-five feet 
for sidewalks and trees, making two hundred and fifty feet in width. Central Park 
is a mile and a half long, and one-third of a mile wide, with an arm or extension 
half a mile long and one-third of a mile wide along its eastern side, and containing 
two hundred and thirty-six acres. This Park is directly west of the city, and the 
main gateway, which is on the east side of the park, is at the western terminus of 
Washington street, and about four and a half miles from the assumed center of the 
city. (Since this article was prepared an arrangement has been effected whereby 
West Washington street, from Central Park to Union Park, a distance of nearly two 
and one-half miles, will be immediately converted into a boulevard. This will 
furnish a most excellent approach to Central Park.) At the northeast corner of this 
park, Central Boulevard commences, running north one-fourth of a mile, then east 
nearly a mile; then north again three-fourths of a mile until it reaches Humboldt 
Park. Central Boulevard is graded fifty feet wide for a central drive, with two side 
drives each twenty-five feet wide, while upon either side is an equestrian roadway 
thirty-one feet wide, and outside of all are the two sidewalks for pedestrians, each 
eight feet wide; the whole two hundred and fifty feet being shaded by six rows 
of tall elms. One small park (North Central Park), and one square (Sacramento 
Square) mark the corners where the boulerard changes its course, and upon ap- 
proaching Humboldt Park, the boulevard is extended to four hundred feet wide for 
nearly half a mile. Here will stand a monument of Baron Von Humboldt, with 
flower stands, fountains, &c. Humboldt Park is nearly a mile long by half a mile 
at its northern end, but only half that at the south end. It contains 290 acres of 
land, which is artistically laid out in walks and drives through the lawn, with a 
large lake forming the central portion of the park. From the north center, Hum- 
boldt Boulevard runs north about a mile, passing through Palmer square, turning 
west one-fourth of a mile, then north again until it reaches Logan square, then turn- 
ing east, reaches out for a long drive to the north end of Lincoln Park on the lake 
shore four miles away. Humboldt Boulevard is two hundred and fifty feet wide, 
and will be arranged similar to all the others when completed. Lincoln Park, the 
most complete of all the parks, stretches out nearly two miles in length along the 
lake shore, and is a little over half a mile in width, containing three hundred and ten 
acres of land. 
The lake shore drive, the grdat north side boulevard, extends along the lake front 
of Lincoln Park from the Water Works to Lake View, (village) and vies with South 
Park boulevards in its superior road-bed, its fine views and its gay equipages during 
pleasant weather. The lakes, walks and drives of Lincoln Park are also charming. 
These parks and boulevards are yet far from being complete, but when finished 
will present the finest system of parks, all connected together by grand boulevards, 
in the world, and with the single exception of the short distance from the water 
works on the north side of the river to the exposition building on the south side of 
the river, the boulevards and parks will extend entirely around the city, with the 
finest drives in the world. 
Within the city are several small parks, but as they are only breathing places for 
the city, and are too small to exhibit the charming powers of the landscape garden- 
er’s art, we will only casually notice them. First, Washington Park, near the 
water works, contains about three acres and is well shaded by large stately trees. 
Wickes Park, on Michigan avenue, three miles north-west of the court house, con- 
tains five acres. Union Park, one and three-fourth miles directly west of the court 
house, contains twenty-three acres; while Jefferson Park, two miles south, contains 
only six acres, and Vernon Park, three-fourths of a mile still further south, only 
three acres. 
A CURIOSITY NATURALLY. 
Last October, while returning to my camp on the Pansegunt plateau in a very 
cold snow storm, my attention was attracted to a young pinus flexilis tree. It was 
about eighteen feet high, and, as well as I could judge, six inches in diameter one 
foot from the ground. About two feet from the ground it forked, and each fork has 
wound itself around its fellow for two feet, going around once and a half in 
that length. It resembled two bitter sweet vines that had twisted around each other 
ingrowth; above the point where the two were twisted the two prongs ran up 
straight and independent. I was surprised, last spring, to see a penstemon with 
wood as solid as oak growing out of the crevasse of the rocks ; but what I have de- 
scribed above was more surprising to me. 1 am, A. L Siler. 
Ranch, Utah. 
