NOTES AND MEMORIES OF OUR EARLY HORTICULTURE. 15 



the exhibitions ; but, with such competitors as Charles M. Hovey 

 and Samuel Pond, I could not expect, and did not achieve, any 

 boastworthy success. In plum culture I did a little with the 

 Jefferson, Coe's Golden Drop, and others of less value. Mr, 

 Pond could sell from his choice grounds, once overflowed by the 

 sea, plums which easily brought him three dollars per dozen. 

 His friendship to me was better than treasures of silver and gold. 



A short experience in gardening led me to desire assistance 

 from others. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society presented 

 an association likely to afford the needed help. Unhappily, as it 

 proved in the issue, the work of an arduous profession and labors 

 on the school committee, which at that period engrossed nearly' 

 half my time, left me less and less for horticulture. As I now go 

 back to the organization of this Society, and read of the noble 

 work of its founders, I feel that no man can fail to honor those 

 early devotees to this art and science. Zebedee Cook, Jr., sent 

 an article to the " New England Farmer," January 9, 1829, set- 

 ting forth the advantage it would be to Massachusetts to found a 

 Society for the promotion of this useful employment. The editor 

 of the "Farmer," Thomas G. Fessenden, approved the views taken 

 in this article, and seconded them by earnest suggestions in the 

 same direction and spirit. Mr. Fessenden I remember well ; and 

 about this time I heard from him an excellent lecture on the sub- 

 ject of Temperance. One remark in it was that the appetite for 

 strong drinks might be checked bj" a free use of fruit. This topic 

 is one not only appealing to humanity, but germane to the objects 

 of our Society. The more we encourage the selection and culture 

 of choice fruit, and the more widely it is circulated through our 

 community, the more we shall accomplish in resisting the sway of 

 that prince of evil spirits, and foe to all moral and national well- 

 being. Intemperance. 



The good work of Mr. Fessenden secured the cooperation of 

 John B. Russell, whom I first met at one of our anniversary 

 dinners, A letter from Judge Buel of Albanj-, to Mr. Russell in 

 the winter of 1828-29 asked " Why do not the Boston gentlemen 

 start a horticultural society?" It was at Mr. Cook's office, six- 

 teen persons only being present, that the first formal proposition 

 was made to take a step in that direction. To Mr. Russell this 

 Society owes a large debt for that initial work. We rejoice in his 

 long life ; he is now the sole survivor of those veteran founders, to 

 witness with us the good results of his labors in that early day. 



