Grant, by the City, of the use of additional land in Bronx Park

[ey re CIV OF THE USE OF

\L LAND IN BRONX PARK

saging, from the JOURNAL oF THE New York BoTanicat GARDEN
- 163 85-96. June, 1915. Sins

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MAP OF SITE

APPROPRIATED BY THE

Commissioners of Public Parks

FOR THE

New York Botanical Garden.

[MAP No. 568]

A775 1073 pha,
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NOTES.—The shaded line indicates the boundary of the area. Bed-
ford Park Station is on the New York and Harlem Railroad, about twenty-
two minutes from Grand Central Station. This map has been prepared
under the authority of the Scientific Directors; it is reduced one half from
a copy of the map filed with the Commissioners of Public Parks, by Messrs.
Vaux, Landscape Architect, and Parsons, Superintendent of Parks.

PART PLAN
OF

BRONX PARK
BETWEEN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN & PELHAM AVE

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[Reprinted from JoURNAL OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN, May, 19'5. ]

CaN bY Ek Chi Ok Eee Us OF ADDITIONAL
LAND IN BRONX PARK

I.
November 9, 1914.
To THE BOARD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT.

Gentlemen: The Board of Managers of the New York Botanical
Garden hereby request, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 473
of the Laws of the State of New York for 1914, that your Honor- .
able Board will set aside and appropriate, for the extension and
development of the work and objects of the New York Botanical
Garden, all that portion of Bronx Park shown upon a certain
map thereof numbered five hundred and sixty-eight and signed
by Messrs. Vaux and Parsons and filed with the former depart-
ment of public parks of the corporation known as the mayor,
aldermen and commonalty of the City of New York (of which
map a copy is submitted herewith), situated between the land
of Bronx Park heretofore appropriated for the use of the said
New York Botanical Garden in Bronx Park and the northern side
of Pelham Avenue, upon such conditions as your Honorable Board
may deem expedient.

Since the appropriation by the Commissioners of Parks of the
present site of the New York Botanical Garden in Bronx Park,
by resolution adopted by the Board of Parks July 31, 1895, shown

and described on said map No. 568 of the Park Department,

the institution has rapidly attained international importance.
Through the expenditure of funds derived both from the city

[Journal for April (16: 67-83) was issued May 4, 1915]
85

86

and from the public at large, the reservation has been developed
from an area of wild land into an elegant park and garden. No
portion of the land has been withdrawn from public use, and the
Board of Managers has conformed in every particular to the pro-
vision of the act of the legislature establishing the corporation
that the grounds shall be open free to the public daily, including
Sundays, and that its educational and scientific privileges shall
be open to all alike, male and female. The development includes
the construction of some four miles of driveways, eight miles of
paths, comprehensive systems of drainage and water-supply,
the largest greenhouses in America, and the largest botanical
museum in the world, which, besides collections open daily to
the public, contains laboratories for the use of special students
and investigators, a large lecture hall, where free public lectures
are delivered on Saturday afternoons and lectures are given to
children of the public schools; also a library of selected literature
on botany, horticulture and related subjects, containing over
25,000 bound volumes, and the largest herbarium in the United
States. The labeled living plants in the grounds and greenhouses
include over 13,000 different kinds. The museum of economic
botany, now containing over 8,000 specimens, illustrates the
products of plants utilized in the arts, sciences and industries.
A great deal of time and labor has been spent in authenticating
the specimens forming this collection, which is referred to con-
tinually as a standard representation of commercial products.
Additions to all the collections are continually being made. The
Garden has published over fifty volumes and parts of works
containing important contributions to botanical and _ horticul-
tural science and popular accounts of plant life in its various
phases. Through the expenditure of corporation funds and of
gifts from members of the Board of Managers and other friends,
over 100 expeditions have been sent to regions little known bot-
anically and valuable and unique collections have thus been
secured. The expenditure of corporation and private funds, in
supplementing city appropriations for development and mainte-
nance of the grounds and buildings, for forming the collections
of plants, specimens and books, for educational and scientific

87

work and for publication has been $525,482.26, and the total of
permanent interest-bearing funds of the corporation, derived
mainly from gifts and bequests, now amounts to $522,500. To
these may be added a recent bequest of $25,000 by Mrs. Maria
DeWitt Jesup, and two other bequests, aggregating $25,000,

subject to life interests. The value of the collections of plants,
- books and specimens already brought together is not less than
$400,000.

In the spring and in the autumn, lectures and demonstrations
have been given to children from the public schools, accompanied
by their teachers, supplementary to the nature-study work of
the school curriculum. The total attendance at such lectures
since 1905 has been over 115,000, the average attendance at
each lecture being about 450. The average attendance at the
public Saturday afternoon lectures, which have been given con-
tinuously since the museum building was completed in 1898,
is about 100. Provision has been made for the further in-
struction of children and of the general public by detailing as-
sistants to accompany visitors to the grounds, buildings and
collections, to answer their questions and to describe the uses
and characteristics of plants. Parties of children, from both
public and private schools, visit the Garden under the guidance
and instruction of their teachers. Very much information is
sent by mail, in answer to a constantly increasing number of
questions about plants and their uses. The Garden has become
one of the chief educational influences of the city, and on account
of the scientific work done there attracts many students not only
from other educational institutions of the city, but from other
parts of the country and from abroad.

In the development of the present reservation, the greatest
care has been taken jealously to preserve and retain all natural
features, including the forested areas of the Bronx valley and its
contiguous hills, and other woodland areas, with special reference
to the hemlock forest, and the tracts of meadow at the northern
end of the grounds. It has been necessary from landscape con-
siderations also to retain considerable areas in broad lawns. The
amount of land remaining available for plantations of trees,

88

shrubs and other plants has proved insufficient for a satisfactory
representation of all kinds of plants which will grow in our
latitude, and this is particularly the case as regards trees and
shrubs. The greatly increased public interest in trees, and
indeed in all plants, during the last few years makes it very
desirable that additional space be provided for the further de-
velopment of the institution.

The land of Bronx Park lying south of the present southern
boundary of the Garden reservation and the northern side of
Pelham Avenue would furnish this desirable area for expansion.
The portion of it now naturally wooded is in direct continuation
southward from the forested areas of the present site, and placing
the additional land under the control of the Botanical Garden
would ensure its uniformity of maintenance and preservation
and uniform treatment of the whole of the gorge of the Bronx
River, probably the most important and attractive natural
feature remaining within the limits of the city. The portions
now existing as unplanted and open fields and slopes may be
beautified by the planting of trees, and decorative border plan-
tations of flowering shrubs and herbaceous plants may be estab-
lished along the streets which bound this portion of the park.
There would be no need nor desire for the construction of ad-
ditional buildings on this land, because, when completed, the
buildings on the present reservation will be amply sufficient.
The buildings now standing on the additional land asked for
could be utilized to advantage by the Garden, assuming that
arrangements may be made which would not embarrass the Park
Department by withdrawing them from their present uses.

In order to avoid the possibility of any embarrassment, the use
and control of such buildings as are at present needed by the
Park Department might remain with that department until their
equivalents might be provided on other park lands. The use of
such land about these buildings needed by the Park Department
for plant nurseries might also similarly remain with that depart-
ment.

The appropriation of the additional tract of land would bring
the southern boundary of the Botanical Garden south to the

89

northern side of Pelham Avenue, which avenue would then con-
stitute a natural line of demarcation between the Botanical
Garden and the Zoological Park. The area thus added to the
Botanical Garden would be subject to all the conditions applying
to the present reservation and at all times would be free to the
public.

The board of managers of the New York Botanical Garden has
referred the presentation of this request to the executive com-
mittee and has authorized its signature by the president and the
secretary in behalf of the board. If desired the executive com-
mittee will appear before your honorable board at such time as
may be indicated.

Herewith is submitted a pamphlet containing the act of in-
corporation, by-laws and other administrative documents, and
another pamphlet showing present officers, and membership.

Respectfully submitted,
W. GILMAN THOMPSON,
President,
N. L. Britton,
Secretary

II

City oF NEw YorK
BoarRD OF ESTIMATE AND APPORTIONMENT
Cal. No. 04.
2 February 3, 1915.
Mr. N. L. Britton, Secretary,
New York Botanical Garden,
Bronx Park, New York City.

Sir: I transmit herewith certified copy of resolution adopted
by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment on January 29,
1915, setting aside and appropriating for the extension and
development of the work and objects of the New York Botanical
Garden, that portion of Bronx Park situated between the
southerly boundary of the land in Bronx Park heretofore appro-
priated for the use of said The New York Botanical Garden by
the board of commissioners of the Department of Public Parks,

90

and the northern side of Pelham Avenue, as more fully described
in the enclosed resolution.
Respectfully,
(Signed) JOSEPH HAAG,
Secretary

(94)

Resolved: That the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, as
authorized by Chapter 473 of the Laws of 1914, hereby sets
apart and appropriates for the extension and development of
the work and objects of The New York Botanical Garden, that
portion of Bronx Park in The City of New York situated between
the southerly boundary of the land in Bronx Park heretofore
appropriated for the use of said The New York Botanical Garden
by the board of commissioners of the Department of Public
Parks, and the northern side of Pelham Avenue, which is more
particularly bounded and described as follows, to wit:

Beginning at a point on the easterly line of the Southern
Boulevard, where the said Boulevard intersects the southern
boundary line of the Botanical Garden, which point is 1,401
feet north of the northerly line of the Bronx and Pelham Park-
way; thence easterly along the line of the southerly boundary
line of said Botanical Garden to the middle of the Bronx River,
a distance of 1,300 feet; thence northerly along the middle of
the Bronx River to a point where the southerly boundary line of
the Botanical Garden intersects the said river, a distance of
1,815 feet; thence easterly along the said southerly boundary
line to the westerly line of Bronx Park East, a distance of 1,301
feet; thence southerly along the westerly line of Bronx Park East
to the northerly line of the Bronx and Pelham Parkway, a distance
of 1,393 feet; thence westerly along the northerly line of the Bronx
and Pelham Parkway to the easterly line of the Southern Boule-
vard, a distance of 2,861 feet; thence northerly along the easterly
line of the Southern Boulevard to the point of beginning, a
distance of 1,401 feet, which said land, including Parcels “A,”
“B,” and “C,” excepted and reserved as hereinafter set forth,
consists of approximately 150 acres, excepting thereout and re-

91

serving therefrom, however, all those three certain tracts or
parcels of land, respectively bounded and described as follows,
to wit:

Parcel ‘“A’’—Greenhouses, Propagating Houses and Grounds
Adjacent

Beginning at a point on the easterly shore of Bronx River at
the intersection of the prolongation westerly of the southerly
side of road which forms the southerly boundary of greenhouse
grounds; running easterly along said prolongation and_ said
southerly side of road for a distance of approximately 375 feet
to the easterly side of road which forms the easterly boundary of
greenhouse grounds; thence northwesterly along easterly side of
said road for a distance of approximately 165 feet; thence north-
easterly along said easterly line of road for a distance of approxi-
mately 400 feet; thence northwesterly along said easterly side of
road for a distance of approximately 44 feet; thence northeasterly
along said easterly side of road for a distance of approximately
240 feet westerly along northerly side of road which forms the
northerly boundary of greenhouse grounds for a distance of
approximately 100 feet; thence northwesterly for a distance of
approximately 90 feet to the easterly shore of Bronx River;
thence southerly along the line of the easterly shore of Bronx
River to the point or place of beginning.

Parcel “ B’’—Band Stand and Grounds Adjacent

Beginning at a point 375 feet east of the easterly shore of
Bronx River on the southerly side of road which forms the
southerly boundary of greenhouse grounds, running thence
northwesterly along prolongation southerly of the easterly side of
road which forms the easterly boundary of greenhouse grounds
for a distance of approximately 20 feet; thence easterly on the
northerly side of road which forms the southerly boundary of
greenhouse grounds for a distance of approximately 163 feet;
thence southerly on the easterly side of main road leading to
Pelham Avenue for a distance of approximately 60 feet; thence
southeasterly along said easterly side of said road for a distance

92

of approximately 240 feet; thence westerly for a distance of ap-
proximately 365 feet to the westerly side of path; thence north-
easterly along westerly side of said path for a distance of ap-
proximately 290 feet to the southerly side of road which forms
the southerly boundary of greenhouse grounds; thence easterly
along said southerly side of said road for a distance of approxi-
mately 20 feet to the point or place of beginning.

Parcel “ C’’—Department Shop and Stables

A rectangular plot 245 feet by 185 feet, lying approximately
285 feet east of the easterly side of road which forms the easterly
boundary of greenhouse grounds, and determined by a line distant
35 feet from and running parallel to the four sides of the building
known and distinguished as the Department of Parks, Bronx,
Stables and Sheds.

The appropriation hereby made is upon the following con-
ditions, to wit:

1. The grounds of the entire tract hereby and heretofore
appropriated for the use of said The New York Botanical Garden
shall be and continue open and free to the public to the same
extent as the grounds heretofore appropriated are now actually
open and free to the public.

2. Provision satisfactory to the Board of Estimate and Ap-
portionment shall be made for the accommodation of picnic
parties upon the lands hereby and heretofore set apart and ap-
propriated for the use of said The New York Botanical Garden,
but not more than ten acres thereof shall be used for such pur-
poses.

3. Upon the direction of the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tionment areas not exceeding five acres in all, within any lands
hereby and heretofore set apart and appropriated for the use of
said The New York Botanical Garden, may be established for
baseball, tennis or other playground uses. The three tennis
courts as now laid out may be continued in their present location
until substitute locations are agreed upon. If adequate and
suitable playground space be made available in Bronx River

93

Parkway or other park areas, such space within the grounds above
set apart and appropriated will not be required. The New York
Botanical Garden shall not be subjected to any expense in con-
nection with the provisions of this paragraph.

4. The Commissioner of Parks for the Borough of The Bronx
shall retain and have right, power and authority to maintain
_ the existing band stand and may furnish band concerts as hereto-
fore.

A true copy of resolution adopted by the Board of Estimate and

Apportionment, January 29, I9I15.

(Signed) JosEPH HAAG,
Secretary

IIl

At the regular meeting held April 15, 1915, the foregoing com-
munication from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment
was presented, and the Managers examined a map accompanying
it entitled “Part Plan of Bronx Park between the Botanical
Garden and Pelham Avenue,” signed by Thomas W. Whittle,
Commissioner of Parks, Bronx, showing the three parcels of land
reserved for the use of the Park Department, and the inclusion of
the Lorillard Mansion and two outbuildings in the land appro-
priated for the use of the Garden.

On motion of Mr. Stetson, and unanimously carried, the
following resolution was adopted:

Resolved: That the Board of the New York Botanical Garden
hereby accepts the grant to it by the City of New York, pursuant
to the vote of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, upon
January 29, 1915, of the additional land in Bronx Park, as
authorized by the Act, Chapter 473 of the Laws of 1914.

A communication was received from the Scientific Directors
conveying recommendations relative to the development of the
additional land and for uses of the Lorillard Mansion, including
proposed necessary repairs to the Lorillard Mansion, the use of
its basement for shops and storage and of parts of the upper stories
for horticultural laboratories; also the general cleaning up of the
tract by the removal of dead trees, stumps and rubbish and the

94

drainage of stagnant pools, much of which work had already been
accomplished during the winter; also that the present use of
rooms in the Lorillard Mansion by the Bronx Society of Arts
and Sciences be continued, and that the Horticultural Society
of New York be permitted to occupy certain rooms in the build-
ing as offices. The recommendations were approved and the
following resolutions were adopted:

Resolved: That a survey and plans for development of the
additional area be obtained from the landscape engineer before
any considerable amount of construction or planting be under-
taken.

Resolved: That the director-in-chief be, and he hereby is,
authorized to continue the permission formerly given the Bronx
Society of Arts and Sciences by the Commissioner of Parks of
the Borough of the Bronx to occupy a portion of the Lorillard
Mansion for museum purposes, until otherwise instructed, it
being understood that no expenses directly connected with such
museum shall be borne by The New York Botanical Garden.

Resolved: That the director-in-chief be, and he hereby is,
authorized to permit the Horticultural Society of New York to
occupy rooms in the Lorillard Mansion as offices, until otherwise
instructed, it being understood that no expenses directly con-
nected with such occupancy shall be borne by The New York

Botanical Garden.
N. L.. BRITTON,

Secretary.
IV

This action by the city places the whole of Bronx Park north of
Pelham Avenue within the management and control of the
New York Botanical Garden, with the exception of three parcels
of land east of the Bronx River, on which stand the greenhouses,
barn, the old snuff-mill used as a shop, and a band stand, these
areas being reserved for the use of the Park Department of the
Borough of The Bronx. The original reservation established in
1895 included 250 acres; the present grant adds over 140 acres,
making the total area of the Botanical Garden nearly 400 acres,
and thus the largest botanical garden in the temperate zones.

95

The additional land has a frontage of about 1,400 feet on the
Southern Boulevard, about 2,860 feet on Pelham Avenue, and
about 1,300 feet on the graded but uncompleted Bronx Park East,
which bounds the Garden on its entire eastern side, the total
frontage on Bronx Park East being about 5,000 feet, or nearly a
mile. Both the banks of the Bronx River from Pelham Avenue
to Williamsbridge are now included in the reservation, except
the portion of the eastern bank extending from the old snuff-mill
_ to a point near the Lorillard Mansion, this stretch forming the
western boundary of one of the parcels of land reserved for the
Park Department.

The additional land, west of the Bronx River, includes the ex-
treme southern end of the Hemlock Forest, which is now entirely
within the Garden reservation; open woodlands in continuation
of the deciduous woods west of the hemlock grove southward to
Pelham Avenue; and considerable areas of open fields and slopes
available for new plantations. East of the Bronx River, there
are other well-wooded areas, open fields and glades suitable for
plantations, and a fine large lake seated deep among rocky
ridges. The natural features of the tract are thus very attractive
and the policy of maintaining them as those of the older reserva-
tion have been maintained will be followed.

The driveway system of the additional land is, for the most
part, already constructed, though an important connection east
of the Bronx River remains uncompleted; it will be necessary,
however, to construct several miles of paths after a complete
plan of development has been adopted, the study of which has
already been commenced. Improvements were begun soon after
the action of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment by the
removal of over 1,000 dead, diseased or otherwise undesirable
trees and of a large number of stumps, by gathering together and
carting away many cart loads of fallen limbs and rubbish, and
by the labeling of over 350 trees; the patrol by Garden keepers
has been extended through the tract on both sides of the river;
rough banks at the Linnaean Bridge on Pelham Avenue have
been graded and planted, and ditches have been dug and opened
to drain some mosquito-breeding and unsightly pools.

96

Much of the forest, grading and drainage work done has been
accomplished, in part, through co6dperation with the New York
Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, by means
of an arrangement entered into with that association early in
March, and still in force. The association sends about twenty
men to the Garden each day, the same men on alternate days of
the week, and supplies funds for their daily wages. The men are
scattered around on various pieces of work mixed in with trained
laborers and gardeners, work the same hours, and are discharged
if inefficient, others sent by the Association taking their places.
This experiment has been of the very greatest interest to the
officials of the Garden and of the Association for Improving the
Condition of the Poor, inasmuch as it has proven to be an ef-
fective way of having necessary work done and at the same time
distributing money to persons very much in need of it.

The Lorillard Mansion, picturesquely located just east of the
Bronx River and high above it, comes to the uses of the Garden
with the additional land. The house is well and substantially
built of stone and dates from 1856. It needs painting and con-
siderable carpenter work to put it in repair and will be very
useful for a variety of purposes. Near it stand a large and fine
Paulownia tree, probably planted about the time the house was
built, and a very fine and interesting weeping beech. There
are many other large and fine trees within the new reservation.

N. L. Britton,
Director-in-Chief.

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