September 17, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
737 
The Arnold Arboretum. 
At a. recent meeting of the Massachusetts Horticultural 
Society, John G. Jack, of Jamaica Plain, Mass., told the follow¬ 
ing interesting story of the Arnold Arboretum of the Harvard 
University. Mr. Jack said: — 
While there are several public or semi-public arboreta in 
Europe, the most, famous of which is at Ivew, the Arnold Arbo¬ 
retum has the distinction of being the first institution of its 
kind in America. Since the foundation -of the Arnold Arbore¬ 
tum, the Missouri Botanical Garden at St. Louis, and Leland 
Stanford, Jr., University, in California, have started similar 
collections, and the energetic management of the New York 
Botanical Garden has made plans for an arboretum which is 
likely to take high rank as an educational and scientific insti¬ 
tution. 
The Arnold Arboretum is not a forest school, but comprises 
a collection of trees grown according to the views of the arbo¬ 
riculturist or landscape gardener, and not under sylvicultural 
conditions calculated to satisfy the requirements of the forester, 
or for the development of good timber-producing examples. 
The Arnold Arboretum owes its existence to the fact that, 
about 1870, James Arnold, of New Bedford, Mass., bequeathed 
property, then estimated in value at about 100,000 dols., to be 
used for the advancement of agriculture and horticulture. 
This property was placed in the hands of three trustees, George 
B. Emerson, John J. Dixwell, and Francis E. Parker. The first 
is the well-known author of that standard work, “ The Trees 
and Shrubs of Massachusetts,” and Mr. Dixwell was an enthu¬ 
siastic cultivator of choice trees, and it was very natural that 
through their interest in the subject it was finally decided to. 
devote the bequest to the establishment and endowment of an 
arboretum and of a professorship for giving instruction con¬ 
cerning trees and shrubs. After due consideration, tire pro¬ 
perty and responsibility for carrying out the terms of the 
trust were transferred to the custody of Harvard University. 
The first raising of plants in the Arboretum was begun in 
1872-73, but it. was not possible to do any permanent planting 
of trees in their botanical groups or orders until the spring of 
1886. In that year much was accomplished, and almost every 
year since additions, have been made in the direction of com¬ 
pleting the collections’. The collection of trees already placed 
in permanent position represents between 400 and 500 species, 
and about as many varieties and hybrids, mostly of horticul¬ 
tural origin. In regard to the scope of the collection of living 
trees and shrubs, it may be said to be the aim to bring together 
all those wild or aboriginal species and varieties from any 
country which will endure our climate. 
As illustrating what may be done in the way of introducing 
new species of plants, our native Hawthorns may be cited as 
an example, although perhaps an extreme one. Ten years ago 
not over twenty species were recognised as native in the United 
States and Canada. Within the past ten years, however, a 
great interest has been aroused in this genus (Crataegus), and 
nearly 500 species have been described as distinct, about 175 
by Professor Sargent, while C. D. Beadle, of Biltmore, and 
W. W. Ashe, who have also, been much interested in the genus, 
have, named about 150 each. Fully 1,500 different lots of 
young living plants of this genus—many, of course, duplicates 
—are now under observation in the nurseries of the Arboretum. 
There is no doubt that the study will result in introducing 
into cultivation some new American thorns of ornamental or 
even economic value. 
Jackson T. Dawson, famous as a propagator of plants, and 
superintendent of the Arboretum since its inception, or when 
the first seeds were planted in 1872, has by artificial fertilisa¬ 
tion produced many interesting hybrids, some of which are 
well known among horticulturists. Among these hybrids may 
be mentioned numerous interesting Roses, such as Dawson, a 
hybrid of Rosa multiflora and Jacqueminot; William Egan, a. 
hybrid of Rosa. Wichuraiana and Jacqueminot; Arnold, a 
hybrid of Rosa, rugosa. and Jacqueminot; and Farquhar, a 
hybrid of Rosa Wichuraiana. and Crimson Rambler. 
Through the agency of the Arboretum many interesting 
species of trees and shrubs have been first introduced into cul¬ 
tivation at home and in Europe, while many others already 
existing in gardens, especially in Europe, have been made 
better known and more popular in this country. 
As indicating the line of original introductions which have 
now become well known and popular may be mentioned Syringa 
japonica, Syringa pekinensis, Rosa multiflora, Berberis Thun- 
bergii, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, several kinds of ornamental 
Crab Apples, and many other more or less well-known species 
of trees and shrubs from Japan and China, besides other not 
yet so widely distributed species, which Professor Sargent was 
able to introduce by his trip to Japan in 1892. 
The Japanese trailing Rosa Wichuraiana was popularised in 
this country chiefly through the agency of the Arboretum, 
though previously known in Europe, whence it was introduced 
into Franklin Park and the Arboretum at about, the same time, 
but under another name. 
The formation of an herbarium and library is a necessary 
accompaniment of the living collection where scientific work 
is to be done, and in the thirty years since its beginning there 
lias been brought together at the Arboretum an herbarium of 
woody plants not excelled by any in the country, and particu¬ 
larly rich in illustrating the arborescent flora, of North America. 
The herbarium is also rich in its collection of the arborescent 
flora of other countries, particularly Europe and Asia, the 
result of purchase in some instances, but more especially of 
extensive exchanges representing many thousands of speci¬ 
mens, and of two journeys to Asia made by Professor Sargent, 
in which he secured large numbers of herbarium specimens and 
seeds of many species to be grown for the living collection. 
The herbarium now contains between 45,000 and 50,000 sheets 
of mounted specimens. 
The library contains about 10,000 volumes and bound 
pamphlets. It is almost wholly the gift of the director of the 
Arboretum. While many of the books necessarily treat, of 
general botany, they have been selected with special reference 
to dendrology and arboriculture, and in these subjects the 
library is unsurpassed by any in the countiy. These treasures 
are given a home and protection in a practically fireproof build¬ 
ing, given to the Arboretum in 1892 by H. H. Hunnevell. 
Besides furnishing accommodation for the library and her¬ 
barium, this building also contains a collection of North 
American woods, arranged for public inspection, and given by 
Morris K. Jesup, of New York, and the offices of the director 
and assistants. 
Within this building is kept, a card catalogue of the living 
plants showing their history, as to whether* received as seeds, 
plants, cuttings, grafts, etc., from whom they came, and date 
of sowing or planting. Other records are kept of the trees 
when set out in permanent, position, besides sets of maps or¬ 
phans showing the location of each individual specimen plant. 
Thei problem of labelling these plants involves a. good deal of 
labour, as frequent renewals are necessary. Among the shrubs 
the Latin names only are given, but at some future time the 
most appropriate common name may be added. As the trees 
get large enough to bear them conveniently, large painted metal 
labels, with Latin and common names and habitat, are tacked 
to the trunks, copper tacks being used, as they do not rust. 
An important work now in progress a.t the Arboretum is the 
preparation of a bibliography of books and important articles 
relating to trees and woody plants. This is possible through a 
special fund given by Miss A. M. Bradley, the income of which 
is to be used for some particular purpose or work in connection 
with dendrology. 
From the Arboretum as an institution there has never been 
issued any bulletin or scientific publication. The results of 
studies by the director or others connected with the institu¬ 
tion have either been printed in Government publications or 
various periodicals, or they have been issued privately by the 
director, the most important work of this class being the “ Silva 
of North America ” and the irregular bulletin known as “ Trees 
and Shrubs,” of which two- parts have appeared. A great deal 
of literature, dealing with much of the life and work of the 
Arboretum, appeared in “ Garden and Forest,” a weekly pub¬ 
lication issued in New York, but conducted by Professor 
Sargent. These publications have assuredly been important 
