154 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



All new countries have presented the same succession of changes, 

 in the various phases of progress from pioneer life to that char- 

 acterizing old established settlements ; and when that point has 

 been reached, certain other conditions have uniformly succeeded. 

 It requires no prophet to tell what the future of New England will 

 be. The history of all older Anglo-Saxon civilization will prob- 

 ably indicate the course of our own. 



I have never for one moment entertained the idea that the New 

 England States have seen their best days, and in time will be left 

 out in the cold — desolate and unlovely. I believe that the}' will 

 always hold the lead in the future, as in the past ; that from their 

 geographical position wealth must naturall}* come to them, and 

 that in time — and not a very long one either, as we view national 

 growth — we shall present as attractive scenes of cultivated land- 

 scapes, and imposing homes, as do the most civilized countries of 

 the old world. And certainly no region can offer better oppor- 

 tunities than our own, with its w'ooded hills, open valleys, and 

 picturesque lakes and streams. We have but to give a little 

 thought to the subject, and then let our work follow in fulfilment 

 of it. 



Do you ask when the era of beauty is to begin? I answer that 

 it has already commenced, and I can point to many sections that 

 show the fruits of this thoughtful purpose. It is to be attained 

 gradually and by accumulation of individual cflbrts ; not by a great 

 uprising. Each minute coral insect builds only its own diminutive 

 dwelling, but the resulting aggregations make the beautiful archi- 

 pelago. I would not have you tear down and radically reconstruct 

 your homes in more elaborate designs ; but let each one simply 

 ask — Wherein can my own homestead be made to harmonize with 

 this coming change? Where can I correct its deficiencies, and 

 where enhance its merits, making it more attractive to the eye, 

 more comfortable for occupation, and — for this is practical New 

 England — at the same time increase its revenue. 



If asked to furnish a description of an ideal country home, you 

 would scarcely describe the present average country residence, and 

 hold it up as a model for others to copy. And yet, taking any one 

 of these homes, and looking at its outlines and surroundings, any 

 person who possesses even a slight knowledge of architecture and 

 landscape gardening might at once point out many features that 

 could be changed eutirel} , or modified, or enlarged; which being 



