8th February, A. D. 1900. 



E S S A Y 



BY 



W. E. BRITTON, Professor of Horticulture, 



Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New 



Haven, Ct. 



Theme: — Ornamental Planting of Rural Home Grounds with 

 Native Trees and /Shrubs. 



Before opening the subject announced on the programme, let us 

 pause for a moment to consider the condition of the rural homes 

 of New England. And what is true of New England country 

 places is doubtless true, to a greater or less extent, of homes in 

 other portions of the United States. 



If we take a trip through the agricultural districts of any one 

 of the New England States, we shall observe many well-kept 

 places, with signs of thrift on every hand. We know that from 

 these homes have sprung those men who later went out into the 

 world and became leaders in commerce, in science and in art. 

 We have seen the best type of the rural home, and it is hard 

 indeed to find fault with that which has been so potent a factor in 

 building up this great nation ; and yet, there is hardly a single 

 country home which might not be made more beautiful and 

 more attractive by a little rearrangement of the grounds, if 

 planned and executed with judgment and good taste. 



I have not mentioned that other type of farm home which we 

 see all too frequently — where there is neither tree, nor shrub, nor 

 vine — the very essence of desolation. A heap of rocks is there, 

 perhaps — yes, and a few old broken wagons out near the road. 



