96 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



has not yet elapsed since the' consecration of Mount Auburn, and 

 over one hundred and seventy lots have been purchased, which is 

 more than were sold at Pere La Chaise in eight years from its 

 foundation. As to the result of the undertaking there is, there- 

 fore, no longer any doubt, and we should be encouraged in the 

 most active and liberal exertions for completely developing the 

 entire plan in all its interesting and important departments." 



At this time the experimental garden was deemed 

 as certain to succeed as the cemetery. The land ap- 

 propriated for this purpose was the north-easterly part 

 of the grounds, east of Central Avenue, and separated 

 from the interior woodland of the portion set apart as 

 a cemetery by the long water-course which expanded 

 into Garden Pond, forming a natural boundary. Gar- 

 den Pond is now transformed into a circular basin, and 

 know as Halcyon Lake ; but its name for many years 

 perpetuated the memory of the use to which this part 

 of the grounds was devoted, as that of Garden Avenue 

 still does. Previous to 1856, this avenue was farther 

 from the street than it now is, having probably been 

 the main avenue in the garden. It was intended that 

 the boundary between the garden and cemetery should 

 be a line of demarcation, rather than of disconnection, 

 and that the ornamental grounds of both should be ap- 

 parently blended, and the walks so intercommunicate 

 as to afford an uninterrupted range over both, as one 

 common domain. The area of the garden was about 

 thirty-two acres, and at the time of the purchase by 

 the Horticultural Society the ground was under cultiva- 

 tion. In 1832 it was laid out by Gen. Dearborn, the 

 paths and avenues constructed, and bordered with turf, 

 in readiness for cultivation and planting with fruit and 

 ornamental trees. In his report on the 8th of Septem- 



