INTRODUCTION OF RURAL CEMETERIES. 455 



number more than seventeen hundred. These, also, 

 have profited by the experience, and copied the meth- 

 ods, of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society ; and it 

 may rightfully claim to have had a share in causing 

 that general appreciation of horticulture which has led 

 these societies to give it so prominent a place in their 

 work. It is doubtless true that the formation of local 

 horticultural societies in this State has diminished the 

 comparative importance of the Massachusetts Horticul- 

 tural Society; but it is equally true that the advance- 

 ment of horticulture is, in the aggregate, greater than 

 it would have been without the many local associations 

 which this Society has had an influence in forming. In 

 his address at the sixth anniversary of the Society, Hon. 

 John C. Gray said, " In the retrospect of our progress 

 we ought not to forget how much our hands have been 

 strengthened and our spirits cheered by the friendly 

 encouragement we have received from other horticul- 

 tural societies," especially those of London, Paris, and 

 New York. It is believed that the Massachusetts Hor- 

 ticultural Society has never been wanting when called 

 upon to repay these obligations by similar encourage- 

 ment and courtesies to new societies. 



Another great work of this Society has been in in- 

 troducing rural cemeteries throughout the length and 

 breadth of our land. It should be remembered, that, 

 while the founders of the Society had the guidance of 

 sitnilar associations in this country and in Europe to aid 

 them in forming theirs, in establishing a rural ceme- 

 tery they were entering an almost unknown field ; the 

 only cemetery serving at all as a model being that of 

 Pere la Chaise, at Paris, which was before many years 

 surpassed by that of Mount Auburn. It was perceived 



