THE TREES OF BOSTON COMMON 



1823 and completed in 1824, during the 

 first year of the mayoralty of the elder 

 Quincy, and in 1826, through the energy 

 of that gentleman, the old poplar trees that 

 used to disfigure Park street, were un- 

 ceremoniously cut down in the early morning 

 hours, and beautiful elms set out in their 

 place by his own hands. Only a few of 

 these elms now remain, but their places 

 have been filled by younger trees. In 1836 

 Boylston street mall was extended across 

 the burial ground, two rows of tombs being 

 closed for the purpose; and with this im- 

 provement the Common became for the 

 first time entirely surrounded with trees. 1 



In 1871, when Dr. Shurtleffs "Historical 

 and Topographical Description of Boston'* 

 was published, there were, he says, about 

 1300 trees in all, of which 700 were American 

 elms, 50 English and Scotch elms, 70 lindens, 

 17 tulip trees, 10 sycamores, 8 oaks, 4 balsam 

 poplars, and a large variety of other trees. 

 In 1864 all the trees of the Common were 



1 Shurtleff, "Historical and Topographical Description of 

 Boston." 



