64 



they would be eternal admonitors to the living, — teaching them the 

 way which leads to national glory and individual renown. 



When it is perceived wliat laudable efforts have been made in Eu- 

 rope, and how honoralde the results, it is impossible that the citizens of 

 the United States should long linger in the rear of the general march 

 of improvement. They will hasten to present establishments, and to 

 evince a zeal for the encouragement of rural economy, commensurate 

 with the extent and natural resources of the country, and the variety of 

 its soil and climate. 



Your Committee have not a doubt that an attempt should be made in 

 this state to rival the undertakings of other countries, in all that relates 

 to the cultivation of the soil. The intelligent, patriotic, and wealthy 

 will cheerfully lend their aid in the estal)lishmcnt of a Garden of Ex- 

 periment, and a Cemetery. Massachusetts has ever been distiniruished 

 for her public and private munificence, in the endowment of colleges, 

 academies, and numerous associations for inculcating knowledge, and 

 the advancement of all branches of industry. A confident reliance is 

 therefore reposed on the same sources of beneficence. The Legisla- 

 ture will not refuse its patronage, but will readily unite with the people 

 in generous contributions for the accomplishment of objects so well 

 calculated to elevate the character 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 well as useful. 



The objects which will cliiefly claim attention, are the collection and 

 cultivation of comn-ion, 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 exclusively belong to the predial department of tillage ; — pay- 

 ing 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 omamental plant- 

 ing appertaining to horticulture. 



Compartments to be assigned for the particular cultivation of Fruit 

 Trees, Timber Trees, Ornamental Trees, and Shrubs, Esculent Veget- 

 ables, Flowers, 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 forest 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 afford proper localities for every kind of 

 tree and plant, that will flourish in this climate ; — 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 



