Notes on Gardens and Nurseries. 421 



pear trees. On they went, growing, thriving, pushing up 

 their vigorous shoots, and spreading out their leafy branches, 

 making sad inroads upon the territory of the Mexicans, and, 

 in fact, showing a disposition to dispute all the ground they 

 had heretofore occupied. Time rolled on, golden fruit hung 

 from their heavily laden boughs, and a rich harvest crowned 

 the efforts of the cultivator of the city garden. 



And now accompanying him further, we find ourselves on 

 a beautiful spot, on the banks of the river Charles, in the 

 pretty village of Watertown, overlooking its flowing waters 

 on one side, and the thickly settled plain on the other. 

 Terraces, of immense size, covered with trees in full bear- 

 ing, all the work of half a dozen years, rise one above 

 another and skirt the river bank. Ascending by several 

 flights of steps, we reach a broad plateau, on which stands 

 the mansion, in the olden style, large, capacious, without 

 ornament, but with that essential of the cotmtry house, 

 comfort. It is reached from the front by an avenue from 

 the Milldam road, and is screened in that direction by a 

 grove of gigantic pines, oaks and hickories. 



Such is the residence of Mr. Stickney, who was fortunate 

 in purchasing, eight years ago, the estate of Madame Hunt, 

 containing about thirty-five acres, accessible in twenty min- 

 utes, by the Watertown Branch Railroad, the station being 

 within five minutes' walk. Few places more capable of being 

 made a perfect villa residence are to be found in the vicinity ; 

 and the possession of all this, now under a high state of cul- 

 ture, and aff'ording so much enjoyment to its owner, has 

 been the result of his admiration of a beautiful flower. 



We have not time or room to record all the improvements 

 which have been made in breaking up, subsoiling, and plant- 

 ing a great portion of the place, which is cultivated with 

 vegetables, principally for Boston market, and shall now 

 confine our attention to the collection of fruit trees, to which 

 Mr. Stickney has devoted much of his personal attention 

 since he purchased the grounds. 



The principal plantation is a garden of pears, situated in a 

 kind of alcove, immediately on the river, facing due south. 



