128 THE MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY 



like recognition from the American Philosophical Society 

 of Philadelphia. In his will, made in 1852, he made be- 

 quests to both societies. He had previously written a letter 

 to a friend in this country announcing a purpose so to do, 

 and explains by saying : u I wish to give the American na- 

 tion a testimonial of my gratitude for the hospitality and 

 assistance my father and myself received in that country, 

 during the course of our long and toilsome journeys." The 

 Society's records give no intimation of the special form in 

 which the attentions, for which he expresses gratitude, were 

 bestowed. But the character of the work he was engaged 

 in, and his superior qualifications as a man of science, 

 could not have failed to commend him to those, who, at 

 either date, held official or prominent position in the soci- 

 ety. Doubtless he received many personal attentions, as 

 well as the official one of election to honorary membership. 



The result of his investigations in this country was pub- 

 lished in different editions under the title of " Sylva Amer- 

 icana." A set of the final and perfected edition, of five il- 

 lustrated volumes, was purchased by the society, and is a 

 part of its library. By the terms of the will, the fund is 

 applicable in experiments in producing new cereals in hor- 

 ticulture and arboriculture, and, especially, the cultivation 

 of hardy forest trees, which the testator judged might pro- 

 fitably be grown on sterile or sandy land, or land encum- 

 bered with rocks or quagmires. In a general way, such 

 undertakings had already received encouragement from the 

 society, and so continued ; but the legacy was greatly ap- 

 preciated, as permitting of expenditure, in these lines, with 

 a more liberal hand. 



In 1876 measures were taken to encourage the planting 

 of forest trees, by enlarging the premium list and modifying 

 the conditions, the premiums offered being $1,000, 1600 

 and $400 for the best, and second and third best plantations, 

 of not less than five acres. The trees were to be Scotch or 

 Corsican pine, in Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket coun- 

 ties, and European larch elsewhere in the State ; to be grown 



