The Boston Metropolitan ParK System—IV. 
Having acquired and improved land from Common- 
wealth Ave. to Jamaica Pond the system was later ex- 
lended to include Jamaica Pond and its shores, and a 
parkway leading thence via the Arnold Arboretum to 
i'ranklin Park. By an arrangement with the fellows 
of Harvard College the drives and paths in the Arnold 
Arboretum were constructed and are policed and main- 
tained by the city and the remaining grounds are main- 
tained by the college. The public are allowed free 
access to the Arboretum. 
By way of Columbia Road, Franklin and Marine 
Parks are connected and complete the park system ex- 
tending from the public garden to South Boston, a dis- 
tance by way of the parks and parkway s of about four- 
teen miles. 
The shore of Charles River has not been included and 
its taking has since passed to the jurisdiction of the 
jMetropolitan Park Commission. 
In recent years the Boston Board of Park Com- 
missioners have acquired and are developing a number 
of playgrounds in one section of the municipality and 
when this scheme is consummated the Boston parks 
and their appurtenances may be considered complete. 
First of the large areas in the park system after 
leaving Jamaica Park is the Arnold Arboretum. Three 
high hills, several ponds and a tract of meadowland are 
within its confines. One of the lower hills is covered 
with a fine hanging wood of primeval hemlock forest ; 
large old trees are disposed in forest density or as 
isolated specimens, and supplementing these are repre- 
sentatives of almost as many and foreign woody plants 
as are hardy in this climate. Several trees in a group 
and an isolated specimen intended to grow without 
interference of other plants represent each species, 
d'hese are disposed in botanical arrangement according 
to natural affinity. In the fruticetum, shrubs are ar- 
ranged with a view to botanical sequence. Landscape 
effect is combined with the sequential arrangement. 
A second large area of land within the park system 
is that of Franklin Park, with a total area of over 500 
acres. Its outline may be said to be square or trian- 
gular. Several hills, ledges, low hummocks and vales 
mark the greatest difference in surface configuration. 
Its topography is rolling and as a whole it has a south- 
ern aspect, woods, boulders, meadows, copses besides 
the topography give it its principal local interest. 
The design for its improvement contemplates a 
division into two parts ; one known as the “country 
park” where the better type of rural scenery is to be 
dominant. In this section a circuit drive follows close 
to the boundaries. Its alignment is partly suggested by 
the views it commands at various stations, by grades 
and ease of traversing without violence of motion. A 
wide expanse of meadow is preserved as a whole. In 
the woodland section drives have been constructed to 
lead by easy grades to points of local interest or com- 
manding distant prospects. The other portion of the 
park is separated from the “country park” by a traffic 
road and contains refectories, children’s playground, 
etc. It is also intended to have a music court and a 
wide form.al drive to be called “The Greeting.” 
In acquiring land for park purposes there is seldom 
an instance where the neglect to adopt a well defined 
plan does not cause successive officials to encourage or 
sanction a departure from the features originally in- 
tended to be exposed, developed, or obliterated. Such 
results are very often due to the incorrect estimate upon 
ihe part of the designer, a commission’s misconception 
of the designer’s motives or the means of securing his 
desired results, or as a result of introducing what is 
considered alternative details not consistent with the 
original intent of the designer. Rarely are public parks 
vulgarized or the elements which justify their existence 
altered or nullified by the abuse of a trust vested in the 
responsible positions. In park work tangible results 
do not always closely follow construction of an engi- 
neering character. A restive public by its adverse com- 
ments or its clamoring is apt to have its way with all 
but strongly willed officials, sensible to good art and 
having a thorough business capacity. Especially likely 
