THE HORTICULTURE OF BOSTON AND VICINITY. 1 



By MARSHALL PINCKNEY WILDER, Ph. D., 



PRESIDENT OF THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY. 



"Hail, Horticulture! Heaven-ordained, 



Of every art the source, 

 Which man has polished, life sustained, 



Since time commenced his course. 

 Where waves thy wonder-working wand, . 



What splendid scenes disclose ; 

 The blasted heath, the arid strand, 



Outbloom the gorgeous rose !" Fessenden. 



Boston and its environs have been famous in history 

 as the battle grounds of freedom and the home of free 

 schools; famous as the abode of high culture and good 

 taste, and equally famous for elegant gardens, fine 

 flowers and luscious fruits. Horticulture embraces 

 within its compass not only fruits and flowers, but 

 whatever pertains to ornamental culture, garden, orchard 

 and landscape. The horticulture of Boston, to -whose 

 shrine its votaries have brought their* offerings, and 

 in whose temples they have worshipped for half a 

 century, has embraced not only the city but its 

 surroundings. Horticulture seems to have been the 

 counterpart of a high civilization in all ages, forming 

 in its study and practice the most perfect union of the 

 most useful and beautiful art that mankind has ever 

 known ; and this seems to have been so appreciated by 

 our own people from the earliest settlement down to 



1 Prepared for the Boston Memorial Series, Volume IV. 



