- § 191. Establishment; site; acquisition of land
- § 192. Omitted
- § 193. Administration of arboretum
- § 194. Advisory council
- § 195. Gifts, bequests, or devises for benefit of National Arboretum; separate fund in the Treasury
- § 196. Concessions, fees, and voluntary services
- § 197. Construction of Chinese Garden at the National Arboretum
The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized and directed to establish and maintain a national arboretum for purposes of research and education concerning tree and plant life. For the purposes of this chapter, (1) the President is authorized to transfer to the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Agriculture by Executive order any land which now belongs to the United States within or adjacent to the District of Columbia located along the Anacostia River north of Benning Bridge, and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized in his discretion to acquire, within the limits of the appropriation authorized by this chapter by private purchase, condemnation proceedings, or gift, land so located or other land within or adjacent to the District of Columbia: Provided, That the purchase price of any part of said land shall not exceed the full value assessment of such property last made before purchase thereof plus 25 per centum of such assessed value.
In order to stimulate research and discovery the national arboretum established by the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall be under competent scientific direction. The arboretum shall be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture separately from the agricultural, horticultural, and forestry stations of the Department of Agriculture, but it shall be so correlated with them as to bring about the most effective utilization of its facilities and discoveries.
The Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to create an advisory council in relation to the plan and development of the national arboretum to be established under this chapter, to include representatives of national organizations interested in the work of the arboretum.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to solicit, accept, receive, hold, utilize, and administer on behalf of the United States gifts, bequests, or devises of real and personal property made for the benefit of the National Arboretum or for the carrying out of any of its functions. For the purposes of the Federal income, estate, and gift tax laws, property accepted under the authority of this section shall be considered as a gift, bequest, or devise to the United States. Any gift of money accepted pursuant to the authority granted in this section, or the net proceeds from the liquidation of any property so accepted, or the proceeds of any insurance on any gift property not used for its restoration shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States for credit to a separate fund and shall be disbursed upon order of the Secretary of Agriculture.