OLMSTED, FREDERICK LAW, b. Hartford, Conn., 1822; eincated there, and at Yale college, making a specialty of agricultural science and engineering. He began life as a farmer and horticulturist; in 1850 traveled on foot through portions of Eng land, Scotland, and the continent, and published. in 1852, a book of observations under the head of Ilratiks and Talks of an American .1l'armer in England, which was replete with information, and widely read. In 1852-53 be traveled in the cotton states, gather ing information which was published in 1856 in a book entitled A Journey in the Sea board Stare States. This was followed by a .Journey Tiqough Terns, 1857, and A Jour ney in ties Back Country, in 1860. Abstracts of these works were issued in two vols. in London in 1861 under the title of The Cotton Kingdom. In 1855 he was traveling in France, Italy, anti Germany,. Studying espeCiaIly their park and horticultural arts. In 1357, when premiums were offered for the best plans for the Central park in New York, Mr. Olmsted associated himself in the preparation of plans with Mr. Calvert Faux, partner of A. J. Downing, the distinguished landscape gardener, who was preparing plans
for the park when lie died. Their combined labors produced the plan which was chosen out of a competition of 34 designs. During the next four years the park was developed under the plans of these gentlemen, in which the most cultivated taste was combined with economy and thoroughness. In 1859 Mr. Olmsted. visited Europe to study park works. On the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861 he was appointed by president Lincoln on a commission to investigate the sanitary condition of the U. S. army, and resided for three years in Washington as the business head of the commission. He then spent two years in California, and was made one of the commissioners of the National park of the Yosemite. He returned to New York in 1806 to join Mr. Vaux in the exe cution of plans for Prospect park in Brooklyn, which they neariy completed under their own supervision. He has since been as-ociated in designs for parks and other public works in Washington, Chicago, San Francisco, Buffalo, and Montreal.