HISTORICAL SKETCH. 69 



for the accomplishment of objects so well calculated to elevate the charac- 

 ter of the Commonwealth, and that of its citizens. 



" The Experimental Garden is intended for the improvement of Horti- 

 culture in all its departments, ornamental as Avell as useful. 



" The objects which will chiefly claim attention, are the collection and 

 cultivation of common, improved and new varieties of the different kinds 

 of Fruits, Esculent Vegetables, Forest and Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, 

 Flowering, Economical and other interesting Plants, which do not exclu- 

 sively belong to the predial department of ptillage ; — aying particular 

 attention to the qualities and habits of each ; — instituting comparative 

 experiments on the modes of culture to which they are usually subjected, 

 so as to attain a knowledge of the most useful, rare and beautiful species ; 

 the best process of rearing and propagating them by seeds, scions, buds, 

 suckers, layers and cuttings ; the most successful methods of insuring 

 perfect and abundant crops, as well as satisfactory results, in all the 

 branches of useful and ornamental planting, appertaining to Horticulture. 



" Compartments to be assigned for the particular cultivation of Fruit 

 Trees, Timber Trees, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, Esculent Vegetables, 

 Flov»?ers, and for the location of Green Houses, Stoves, Vineries, Orangeries, 

 and Hot Beds. 



" For the accommodation of the Garden of Experiment and Cemetery, 

 at least seventy acres of land are deemed necessary ; and in making the 

 selection of a site, it was very important that from forty to fifty acres 

 should be well, or partially, covered with trees and shrubs, which could be 

 appropriated for the latter establishment ; and that it should present all 

 possible varieties of soil common in the vicinity of Boston ; be diversified 

 by hills, valleys, plains, brooks, and low meadows and bogs, so as to 

 aftbrd proper localities for every kind of tree and plant that will flourish in 

 this clime ; be near to some large stream or river, and easy of access by 

 land and water ; but still sufficiently retired. 



" To realize these advantages it is proposed, that a tract of land, called 

 ' Sweet Auburn,' situated in Cambridge, should be purchased. As a large 

 portion of the ground is now covered with trees, shrubs and wild flowering 

 plants, avenues and walks may be made through them, in such a manner 

 as to render the whole establishment interesting and beautiful, at a small 

 expense, and within a few years ; and ultimately offer an example of land- 

 scape and picturesque gardening, in conformity to the modern style of 

 laying out grounds, which Avill be highly creditable to the Society. 



" The streams and parcels of bog and meadow land may be easily 



connected into ponds and variously formed sheets of water, which will 



furnish appropriate positions for aquatic plants, while their borders may 



be planted with Rhododendrons, Azaleas, several species of the superb 



14 



