PAB.K AND CEMETERY 
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the chief forestry attractions in Lincoln Park. The tree 
suffered in 1870 from an overflow of the Potomac river, 
which threatened its destruction, and it was removed 
from the botanic gardens to the park, then an unim- 
proved government reservation, and was replanted in 
what is now the center of Lincoln Park. In 1872, when 
this park was graded and improved with walks and or- 
namental plantings, a part of the plan adopted for im- 
provement was the construction of an oval mound in 
the center, intended to form the site of a colossal statue 
of Abraham Lincoln, which at that time it was pro- 
posed to place there. This oriental plane tree was then 
bare stemmed with a few small branches near the top 
about eight feet from the original ground surface. But 
the mound was made around the tree and from this 
bare stem roots were speedily sent out and the tree com- 
menced a vigorous growth of phenomenal rapidity and 
luxuriance, which has continued to the present time. 
It is now over seventy feet high with a nearly equal 
spread of branches, and is regarded by many as the 
most highly ornamental tree in the park. 
One of the notable old trees in the Capitol grounds is 
a Cameron elm, located south of the south wing of the 
Capitol. The late Senator Cameron, of Pennsylvania, 
while a member of the committee on public buildings 
and grounds,- intervened in behalf of this tree and pre- 
vented its destruction. 
An American elm brought here from Arbor Lodge, 
Neb., was planted April 22, 1895, in the Agricultural 
Department grounds by the late J. Sterling Morton, 
who was then Secretary of Agriculture, to commemo- 
rate Arbor day in the United States, of which he was 
the founder. This tree is located in a group of elms bor- 
dering i2th street about midway between B street 
northwest and B street southwest, and it is marked by 
a stone shaft. 
In the botanic gardens there are planted a large 
number of trees as memorials of men prominent in the 
nation’s history. These historic trees are both ever- 
green and deciduous. One of the most interesting 
memorial trees in this garden is that planted in com- 
memoration of President Garfield. It is growing on the 
border of tbe w'alk near the south entrance to the large 
conservatory. This tree has a novel history. At the 
funeral ceremonies of President Garfield a small seed- 
ling branchlet of Acacia was placed on the coffin by a 
member of the Masonic order. After the burial this 
seedling plant was brought to Washington and was sub- 
sequently planted in its present location, where it has 
thrived from the first. 
There is also in the gardens a specimen of Chinese 
oak tree which has a novel history. Many years ago a 
friend of the late Charles A. Dana while traveling in 
China picked up a number of acorns under a tree shad- 
ing the grave of Confucius and planted them here. 
A large British oak, planted to commemorate the set- 
tlement of the Alabama claims, spreads its branches 
near the east entrance to the gardens. 
When Secretary Root and General Corbin made their 
flying trip of inspection to the Philippines in 1902 they 
stopped en route in Japan, and there for the first time 
saw in all its glory the Japanese cherry tree. This va- 
riety of cherry has no edible fruit, but is grown by 
the Japanese, who are passionate flower worshipers, 
solely for the beauty of its blossoms. The secretary 
and his adjutant general admired the trees they saw and 
determined that they would make an effort to trans- 
plant a few specimens in this city. 
The Dana Chinese Oak. Magnolia grandiflora in Franklin Park. The Hayes Elm. 
SOME INTERESTING ORNAMENTAL TREES IN WASHINGTON, D. C. 
