82 Frederick Law Olmsted 



luxuries be added to our orchards — no new beauty bloom in 

 our gardens ? Are there no incongruities or inconveniences in 

 our Domestic Architecture? Is the want of refined Rural 

 Taste nowhere observable on our island? Are we quite 

 satisfied with our Roads — confident that our breeds of cattle 

 are unsurpassed, and that no improvements can be added 

 to the implements of our Husbandry, that we should neglect 

 or refuse to combine our knowledge and influence in these 

 matters ? May we not want a little of the patriotic sentiment, 

 the neighborly feeling, the cordial good understanding among 

 ourselves, that would be promoted by a free interchange of 

 our thoughts, opinions and observations, and by manifesting 

 a unity of purpose with regard to these subjects of common 

 interest ? ' ' 



Frederick recorded his progress in the nursery business 

 in a letter to his father Nov. 6, 1851 : 



I have sold near $100. worth of trees besides those sent 

 to Terry. Received order for a small lot to be delivered at 

 Hartford at wholesale prices from Sol. Porter, Porter Place, 

 Banker. I referred him to my letter but told him that on the 

 supposition that he meant to increase his order I would send 

 the trees, putting them on board Hartford boat at $50. rate, 

 if I did not hear from him this week to the contrary. He 

 ordered also some peach trees, which I shall have to get, I 

 don't know where. Next day another order, "2d, not for 

 Porter Place, " for 20 more pears. I have had two calls from 

 men that wanted a large number shade trees — evergreens — 

 and other fruit trees, that I could not supply — and could not 

 get the ordering of. One of them ' is engaged in laying out 

 grounds for Aspinwalls, Livingston and others at Clifton 

 and told me he should have bought a good many hundred 

 trees if I had had such as he wanted. He took 31 pears at 60 

 cts. for Livingston and O'Conner. Townsend called & took 

 24, Bunker, 15 and others of that sort, making the best sort 

 of nest eggs for the business. 



' Evidently one of the popular "landscape gardeners" to which reference 

 is made in Part III. 



