GARDEN COMMITTEE'S REPORT. 6 



Society still retains an interest. The neatness and care displayed on all 

 sides, under the judicious arrangement of the superintendent {Mr. Mann,) 

 shows that a decided improvement is goingon from year to year. So much 

 has been said and written in regard to Mount Auburn, that any further 

 notice at this time is hardly necessary. 



On their return the Committee called at William Bacon's, Esq , Roxbury, 

 where they had the pleasure of witnessing the result of Mr. Bacon's suc- 

 cessful cultivation of pear trees, Mr. Bacon is an enthusiast of indomita- 

 ble will (would that we had more) in pear culture, and is determined that 

 his trees mv^t make their fullest growth, mvLst be perfect of the kind, and 

 his fruit must be the largest and finest. 



The original ground was salt marsh, a mere quagmire, having all the 

 requisites to entitle it to condemnation as a nuisance. If a man is deserv- 

 ing of praise who makes " two blades of grass to grow where but one grew 

 before," Mr. Bacon is certainly to be commended for reclaiming from a 

 mere cess pool, some two acres of as valuable soil as can be found in this 

 country. 



The garden is situated several feet below the street level, through which 

 the city sewerage passes. Of this Mr. Bacon took advantage, conveying it 

 througji his grounds by two channels, and with a dam at the lower end of 

 the garden he is able to retain a constant supply of valuable manure, which 

 from time to time has been used, and the soil is now several feet deep. 

 This manure is gathered in such quantities that he has a large surplus to 

 dispose of. 



Mr. Bacon entertained the Committee with a very interesting history of 

 his pear culture from its commencement, the obstacles he overcame, 

 notwithstanding the determined predictions of his friends, who foresaw (as 

 they thought) and forewarned. 



There are many similar locations where advantage might be taken 

 of sewerage, which is allowed to run to waste, and a thousand fold might 

 be returned for every dollar of outlay. It needs but the energy that has so 

 eignaliy characterized Mr. Bacon to secure a garden unsurpassed for fruit 

 culture, but it must be borne in mind that without good drainage, all may 

 result in disappointment. 



After leaving Mr. Bacon's the Committee went to R. W. Ames's fruit 

 garden at Roxbury, and they regret that the owner was absent. The land 

 is similar to that of Mr. Bacon's, and the trees gave evidence of the ad- 

 vantage of a portion of salt soil. The Committee noticed, and could not 

 account for, the cracking of several varieties of pears, Beurre Diel, &,c., 

 while the fruit on the trees belonging to Mr. Bacon, on the opposite side 

 of the street, were entirely free from blight. Mr. Ames's trees were in a 

 flourishing condition, and of fine shape, though somewhat crowded. 



The Committee then visited the garden of Francis Dana of Roxbury, and 

 took a hurried view of the premises. Mr. Dana is a persevering cultivator 

 of seedling pears, and has introduced several that are very promising. 

 Few of our amateurs in raising seedlings have been as fortunate as Mr. 

 Dana, and we trust that the Society may one day possess the secret of hia 

 success in the propagation. 



