REPOKT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 287 



in planting flower beds, and beautifying tlie grounds. In 1879 a 

 visit was made to Pine Grove, Lynn ; in 1884 again to Newton 

 and Pine Grove, and in 1889 again to Newton, when an award 

 was made for well kept grounds, and artistic laying out and im- 

 provement of the same. The next visit was to Forest Hills, in Rox- 

 bury, 1895. Since the Horticultural Society was the promoter of 

 Mount Auburn Cemetery, which is kuown all over this continent 

 and in foreign lands, and whose influence has done so much to 

 improve our Rural Cemeteries, it seems eminently fitting that the 

 connection between the Society and the cemeteries should be main- 

 tained. 



The Garden Committee having expressed a wish that they 

 might have an opportunity to visit Forest Hills, your Chair- 

 man, being the Superintendent felt that it might look like sound- 

 ing his own praises, and confessed to some diffidence in extending 

 the invitation, but upon consultation with the President of the cor- 

 poration, it was decided to invite the Committee with the Trustees 

 and other friends. On the 26th of September the invitation was 

 accepted, and while a goodly number were present we regret that all 

 who were invited could not be with us. About two hours were spent 

 in driving through the grounds giving a general idea of the place. 



Forest Hills was consecrated June 28, 1848, and was controlled 

 by the City of Roxbury until the year 1868, when Roxbiiry was 

 annexed to Boston, and by a special act of the Legislature it was 

 then conveyed to the lot holders and sinc« that time has been 

 under the control of a board of seven Trustees, one being elected 

 each year at the annual meeting of the proprietors. This Board 

 of Trustees has full control of the affairs and property of the cor- 

 poration, and under them all subordinate officers serve. Two 

 committees attend to the business of the corporation, a Finance 

 Committee, and a Committee on Care of the Grounds. The area 

 of the grounds is two hundred and four acres, finely diversified. 

 The last purchase, of what was known as the Milton estate on the 

 east of the main entrance at Morton St., and directly opposite 

 Franklin Park, is a very valuable addition and being so near the 

 entrance enables the Trustees to offer to their patrons better located 

 lots than at any time since the establishment of the cemetery. 

 The location is very commanding affording a fine view of Jamaica 

 Plain, Brookline, and the surrounding country. The access to 

 this new addition is by a rustic stone bridge of unusually fine pro- 

 portions, and in most excellent taste, from designs by the well 



