224 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL FESTIVAL. 



could be found a nobler task? I should 

 rather say, pleasure ? I do not know of a 

 field so neglected as this. I will venture 

 to say that one-tenth of the trees of this 

 continent remain undescribed. Even on 

 my own small domain, I have two trees 

 that neither Michaux, Loudon or Browne 

 have noticed. [Will our correspondent de- 

 scribe them ? Ed.] Yet one of them is 

 common enough — large, and well worthy 

 of record. All we as yet knov7 of the won- 

 ders of America, is derived from the re- 

 searches of foreigners. Wilson, Audubon, 

 and C L. Bonaparte, have monopolized 

 the birds and animals. Michaux and Lou- 

 don have partially gleaned our trees ; and 

 I presume we must wait patiently until 

 some of them turn their steps this way 

 again, before our desire for further know- 

 ledge on this subject is gratified. Yet, why 

 is this ? We have men capable enough, I 

 am sure ; and a work of this kind, splen- 

 didly illustrated, would not only be a source 

 of fame, but, I am satisfied, of pecuniary 

 profit. 



I was surprised, as well as amused, the 



other day, on looking over the works of 

 Bacon, to find how many of the theories, 

 now advanced as new in reference to horti- 

 culture, were well known and noticed by 

 this great man. The use of salt, as a ma- 

 nure for trees, is an instance. I think it 

 would be well for you to republish this por- 

 tion of his works. They are not within 

 the reach of many ; and I am sure it would 

 give your readers pleasure. There are 

 other topics I should like to touch upon, 

 but have not now the leisure. Should you 

 wish it, you shall hear from me again. In 

 my rambles, during the coming winter, and 

 in the spring, I may pick up something 

 worthy of note. If not, I shall not trouble 

 you. Sylvanus. 



Cincinnati, Oct. IS, 1848. 



[If " Sylvanus," whose private note (also 

 anonymous,) accompanying the above com- 

 munication, we have also received, will 

 have the kindness to favor us with his 

 name, we will have the pleasure of re- 

 plying to some of his inquiries, which are 

 of much interest to us. Ed.] 



THE HORTICULTURAL FESTIVAL AT FANEUIL HALL, BOSTON. 



[see frontispiece.] 



The annual exhibition of the Massachu- 

 setts Horticultural Society, (of which we 

 gave a brief account last month,) closed 

 with a fete, so unique and so interesting to 

 us, that we wish to preserve some remem- 

 brance of it in our pages. 



It was what our Boston friends call a 

 horticultural FESTIVAL, — a "triennial fes- 

 tival, — a kind of feast of flora and pomo- 

 KA, at which all her votaries join in cele- 

 brating, with one united spirit, the beauti- 



ful, the peaceful, and the good influences 

 which flow, like fountains of pure water, 

 from the portals of their flower-woven and 

 fruit-laden temples. 



Many things there were, there, which 

 were pleasing and wonderful to us. First 

 of all, the interest — so lively and so gene- 

 ral — taken by all classes, ages, and sexes, 

 in horticulture itself. Ladies left their 

 drawing-rooms, the statesman his docu- 

 ments, the divine his study, the merchant 



