The object of the work which has been done on the Brooklyn Park, during the eight years in which we have had the honor to serve your Commission, has been the creation of scenes of natural character as attractive and graceful as the local conditions would allow, and their advantageous presentation.

With respect to the improvement of the scenery, the work done has, so far, been but preparatory to the greater work asked of nature; the constructions, through the use of which it was to be enjoyed, such as roads, walks, shelters, and places of refreshment, were, on the other hand, to be turned out complete at once. It was therefore inevitable that these constructions should, for a certain period, assume undue importance. In the greater part of the Park that period is already well-nigh passed; special search must be made to find a scene in which nature does not reign supreme, or in which, if artificial objects are to be recognized, they are not relatively unimportant and unobtrusive incidents of convenience.

The general character of the scenery of the Park, even in its present formative condition, is undeniably broad, simple, and quiet, yet the variations of the surface, and the disposition of open woods, thickets, glades, meadows, and of still and running waters, is such that it cannot be deemed monotonous. Its characteristic features in these respects are to be strengthened not only by growth, but also almost equally by timely reduction of whatever will tend to the weakening of distinctive qualities, or to the repression of elements intended to be aggrandized.

There were originally two main bodies of natural wood on the site of the Park, connected by a narrow belt at the point where the Long Meadow is now most contracted; the eastern body being broken by bays where the Nethermead, the head of the Lull-water, and the Deer Paddock now are.

The trees had grown thickly, their lower limbs were dead or dying, and two-thirds of all, though yet of but moderate size, were decayed in the trunk. Many had, also, been mangled by violence.

Where a sufficient proportion of these old trees were not yet decrepid and drawn up by the effect of excessive shade beyond the possibility of restoration to moderately well-proportioned and umbrageous forms, the less promising have been taken out and an attempt made to develop open-wooded or park-like scenery. So far as proper means for this purpose have been used, the result at this time is even better than had been expected, but apprehension of the effect of wind and unwillingness to even temporarily destroy the beauty [665] and materially lessen the shade of those parts of the Park which, until the advance of new plantations, would alone be attractive resorts, has so far caused twice as many trees to be spared as is desirable, and has prevented the adequate topping of others. In this respect much in the way of judicious removal remains to be done to enhance the beauty of the Park.

In other parts of the old woods, where trees which possessed either dignity or picturesqueness were more rare, it has been sought, by planting young trees and underwood about and among them, to develop bosky masses of foliage, in which the old trees should supply the upper parts, their poverty below being hidden by the new. Effects which are very satisfactory were thus obtained with great rapidity in those portions of the East Woods where foot visitors are confined to the walks.

These effects are, however, dependent on the maintenance of a rich, low growth, which without attention will soon fail.

Great care has been taken to secure a natural and picturesque edge to the old woods, both by breaking into them and by planting beyond them the lowest-headed large trees that could be procured. Similar trees have also been used to prevent as far as possible the occurrence of a strong contrast between the old woods and the new plantations. The shape of the ground (its natural features being almost invariably enlarged in the process of grading) has been favorable to the desired result, the outer and more conspicuous parts of the masses being on lower ground than those interior, and the few large trees under these circumstances giving character to the whole.

Most of the plantations, especially on the northern part of the Park, are on very bleak ground, and to lessen the severity of the exposure of the young plants, as well as to provide against and secure greater immediate effects to the eye, many trees have been planted in addition to those intended to remain. That the permanent trees may have the required vigor and not be crowded into ungainly forms, a gradual thinning out of these plantations, a little every year for many years to come, is essential.

The chief defect in the scenery of the Park, at the present time, lies in the backward condition of the plantations in the southern part of the Long Meadow, west of the Lake, and south and west of Lookout Hill. This is primarily due to the fact that they were the last made, but it also should be remembered that there has been much more difficulty in procuring suitable soil for these parts in adequate quantities, and that to bring them to a satisfactory condition unusually liberal top-dressing will therefore be needed.

We have not in previous reports duly expressed our obligations to Mr. Bullard, who throughout the work has been in direct superintendence of the planting. Comprehending with a true artistic spirit the intention of the landscape design as a whole, he has spared no study or personal labor to secure the means of its realization in detail.

The surface of the water in the Lake is not yet ordinarily seen at the [666]

[667] [668] elevation with reference to which all the associated elements of scenery have been designed. This serious defect, which detracts much from the variety of the shore lines, and consequently from the beauty of the Lake itself (to a degree which can be hardly imagined), is due to the leakage of the water basin, and is expected to be gradually corrected by the action of natural causes.

The charm of the Park will lie chiefly in the contrast of its occasional bodies of low foliage, intricate, obscure, and mysterious, with the more open groves and woods, and of both with its fair expanses of unbroken turf. Its beauty will, therefore, depend on the care and skill with which these respective qualities, each in its appropriate place, are nursed and guarded.

The areas of the Long Meadow and the Nethermead are so large, that it has been deemed unnecessary to maintain the restrictions usually enforced in public grounds in this climate upon walking on the turf. The attractions and the public value of the Park have thus been undoubtedly very much enhanced. But the two dangers which attend this course already begin to be manifest, and it is evident that unless strenuously guarded against, serious evils will sooner or later result. One of these dangers is that of the wearing out of the turf in streaks and patches, the other is that of the destruction of under-wood, shrubs, and plants, and the hazardous and inconvenient straggling of visitors across drives and rides, arising from the difficulty of restricting the privilege of walking on the turf within proper limits. The first is to be prevented by so limiting the use of the turf that it will not be trodden upon when in a poachy condition, or when it is excessively dry and inelastic, and by the use of slight guards, frequently shifted from point to point, as patches or streaks of wear become evident. The other may be particularly guarded against by concealed or inconspicuous barriers, and by cautionary signs, but can be permanently kept within tolerable bounds only by special efforts for the purpose made by an active, vigilant, faithful, and numerous body of keepers.

There are certain conveniences still wanting in the Park, which can only be adequately and appropriately supplied by architectural structures of some magnitude. The rapid growth of the young woods would now, however, in nearly every case, save these from being unduly prominent, and the erection of the Lookout Tower, with the adjoining shelters, and of the Refectory at the east foot of the Lookout Hill, with the bridge near it, would be found not only to add much to the accommodation of visitors and the comfort with which the scenery of the Park would be enjoyed, but to make more intelligible and give needed emphasis to important elements of its general design.

We desire here to acknowledge the value of the services rendered to us and to your Commission by Mr. E. C. Miller, who was principal assistant when the working drawings were made for the Plaza and for the Endale, Meadowport, Nethermead, and Eastwood arches; also, by Mr. Bassett Jones, [669]

who prepared the working drawings required for the Cleftridge Span and for the Tower to be erected on Lookout Hill; also by Mr. Thomas Wisedell, who had charge of the working drawings needed for the Concert Grove buildings and stonework and for the Martyrs Memorial at Fort Greene.

The main entrance to the Park, as yet, falls much short of manifesting the value of the arrangements which have been in large part carried out in connection with it, and we take the occasion to explain its design more fully than we have yet done.

The principal entrance to a large metropolitan park admits in its design of more than one theory of artistic arrangement. The contrast between the urban and rural requires in some cases to be sharply drawn, the city enclosing the park as squarely and completely as a picture-frame encloses a picture. In other situations and under different circumstances a series of intermediate [670]

mediate, partly rural and partly urban, effects may, with propriety, be introduced at the point of junction. In the Brooklyn Park, the latter arrangement seemed to be preferable for several reasons.

When the Reservoir and East Side Lands were, in accordance with our recommendation, discarded from the design, the Park at once became a unit of agreeable form. Its breadth of territory gradually increased as the visitor passed farther and farther from the main city entrance, and an opportunity evidently existed for a desirable and comparatively cheap extension of its southern boundary at some future time. The unsatisfactory feature was the shape of the entrance itself, left at the apex of a triangle which was apparently struggling to wedge its way into the street system of the city. To overcome this serious difficulty, the Plaza was introduced as a main elementary feature in the general design, and the land necessary for its construction was added to the Park territory before any improvements made by the Park Commission at the public expense had enhanced its value.

The intention controlling the arrangement of the Plaza plan will now probably be comprehended by the ordinary visitor to the Park, but the effect will be much more complete and artistic a few years hence, when the trees planted in the walks shall have attained a sufficient growth to give the definite skyline which is so much needed. As the design now stands, the apex of the triangle which forms the actual entrance has become a mere segment of an ellipse, eight hundred feet in diameter, and, therefore, on a scale large enough to contrast favorably even with such a wide street of approach as Flatbush avenue. Three large masses of plantation are introduced outside the Park boundary in connection with the Plaza design, so that the rural element may be strongly suggested before the main entrance is reached.

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The Park gateway should be a handsome architectural structure, with an arcade extending over the walk, so that many persons may with comfort wait for the cars at this point under cover when the weather is showery, and the pavement necessary to carry out this feature of the design has been designed and laid.

A platform for public meetings connects the centre of the Plaza with the city, and a large fountain basin is introduced as a central feature.

In the design for the fountain the aim has been to express clearly its special artistic purpose. An artificial flow of water on a liberal scale is prepared for, and has been calculated on from the outset. So long as the supply to the various jets is inadequate, this design will of course appear to be out of proportion to the result produced, but when the necessary additional forcing power is brought into operation, the stone base, with its bronze corona, will hardly be seen, and therefore will certainly not be considered too large an element in the general design.

It was evident that artificial light should be freely introduced in the Plaza, as it is a public promenade intended for night use; but it was also clear that the lines formed by the play of water and the general artistic effect in the Large Fountain would be much interfered with if a series of lamps elevated on the ordinary high posts should be a part of the design. The lighting has, therefore, been arranged for in connection with the railing for protection that surrounds the Fountain, the intention being, as mentioned in our last report, to have an interior circular line or ring of light below the eye and a few feet only above the water surface, so that the reflection of the globes would form a corresponding line that would be recognized as an element in the design, even by the ordinary observer.

At the north end of the platform, opposite the Lincoln statue, a public rostrum is proposed to be placed, the United States flag being displayed in connection with it. Whenever this feature is added the temporary staffs for the flags of the city and State now erected in the Plaza should be replaced by others of more elaborate and elegant design.