NEW EI^GL-AI^D FARMER. 



PUBLISHED BY J. B. RUSSELL, NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (at thk Acricbltural WarehooseO-T. G. FESSENDEN, EDITOR. 



VOI^. XI. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 15, 1833. 



NO. S. 



Horticultural 



JIASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL 

 SOCIETY. 



Proceedings of the Massofhiisetls Horlicultitnd So- 

 ciety, at a meeting, held at the Halt of the Insti- 

 tution, on Saturday, Atgust 11, 1832. 



The foUowing report was made by II. A. S. Dearborn, President 

 of the Society. 



After a separation of nearly nine montljs, I am 

 highly gratified to again meet the members of 

 an institution, with whom I have been so pleas- 

 antly associated, in zealous efforts to advance the 

 interests of rural industry. 



During my absence, I have watched with deep 

 solicitude the progress of your labors, which, 

 through the kind intervention of those who liave 

 been most ardently devoted to the great objects of 

 the society, have been constantly reported to me. 

 It is a subject of sincere congratulatieti that the 

 Garden of Experiment and Cemetery of Mount 

 Auburn have claimed such commendable attention 

 from the able and energetic members of the Com- 

 mittee Avhich was charged with the management 

 of those beautiful and interesting grounds, during 

 this season. A result has been produced, by con- 

 ptructiug the avenues and paths, which musi con- 

 vince every dispassionate proprietor, that our most 

 sanguine predictions were far in the rear of pos- 

 sible achievement ; and that it is })iacticaW4 to 

 realize all our e.\-pectation.s within a less period 

 than was originally anticipated, if the same spb'it 

 and enterprise which has thus far marked their 

 labors are not suffered to abate. While we are 

 cheered by the past to redouble our exertions, the 

 anticipations of the future inspire a more extended 

 and generous disposition to mature and execute 

 the plans which have been pi-ojccted, for the full 

 development of all the important departments of 

 the whole establishment. 



The absolute necessity of an Experimental 

 Garden is daily becoming more apparent, — for 

 the contributions of plants and seeds, from all 

 parts of the world, are rapidly increasing, and im- 

 periously require that we should be enabled to 

 cultivate then;, under the immediate direction of 

 the institution, both for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining their value in rural economy and conse- 

 quence in the arts, as well as for the embellish- 

 ment of our private gardens and jniblic grounds. 

 If the unprecedented rigor of the past winter 

 has had a most deleterious influence upon om- 

 fruit trees and produced a temporary despoiulcn- 

 cy among gardeners and farmers, we should be 

 encouraged in the reflection that a recurrence of 

 like disasters may not again blast our prospects 

 for a century ; and while the mo.st efl^ectnal mode 

 of obliterating the melancholy consequences, as 

 well as the painful reminiscences they awaken, is 

 a prompt and determined effort to rejvlace oiir 

 destroyed trees and ornamental plants by olli- 

 ers, of a more estimable quality, it should be 

 borne in mind, that it is our duty to plant, not 

 merely for ourselves, but for po:iteiity. It is tli'is 

 we are alone able to repay the debt of gratitude, 

 which we owe to our predecessors; and should 

 gladly emulate their enlarged beneficence toward 



succeeding generations. The husbandman eats 

 in his own day, the bread which he had earned 

 by tlie sweat of his brow ; but it is most often that 

 he leaves as a rich inheritance to his posteritv, 

 the enjoyment of the fruits of those trees, which 

 he had reared and cultivated with generous and 

 imtiring assiduity ; glad in the hope that his chil- 

 dren's children would rise up and call hinj bles- 

 sed. 



It will be recollected that Dr Van Mons of Lo- 

 vain, in the kingdom of Belgium sent us the last 

 year, scions of more than fifty of his most cele- 

 brated varieties of pears, and some weeks since, [ 

 received the following letter from that illustrious 

 cultivator of fruits, in conformity to a request I had 

 made, in consequence of the disaster which befel 

 his rich donation. But notwithstanding I had at- 

 tempted, by addressing letters to the gentleman 

 through whose iiands the second present was to 

 pass, to avoid delay in the transmission, I regret 

 that it is my duty to state, the last and most val- 

 uable collection of grafts lias not yet reached its 

 destination. We are under the greatest obliga- 

 tions to Dr Van Mons, for his liberal efforts to en- 

 rich our nurseries and orchards, and notwithstand- 

 ing tlie unfortunate results which followed, I shall 

 ones more ask him to attempt the experiment, 

 with the hope it may be crowned with success. 



Sir,- 



I 9, 183:, 



I embrace the opportunity kindly offered 

 by Dr McMahon of ttje United States Army, to 

 inform yoi>, that on the 20th of January, I iiad 

 the honor of sending you, by a ship which left 

 Havre on that day, a package of several kinds of 

 pear scions, of the most recent procreation, and 

 among them are not any of those Varieties which 

 I formerly transmitted, — in all sixtyfour different 

 varieties. I ha|)e they have, before this, reached 

 their destination. I have also sent you some of 

 my new engravings and descriptions of pears. 



I have translated for the Revue dcs Revues, the 

 greater part of the articles which I found in the 

 numbers of the interesting New England Farmer, 

 which you were so very kind as to send me. 



With sentiments of the highest esteem. 

 Your much obliged, and most obt. serv't, 

 J. B. Va.\ Mo.ns. 



H. A. S. DtiRBom., Es(i 

 President Mass. Hor. Society. 



Last summer I announced to the society, that 

 I had written to our Charge de Affairs at the Ot- 

 toman Forte, requesting him to be so kind as to 

 procure and transmit to the society, either the 

 seeds or plants of a valuable timber tree, which 

 grows on the borders of the Black Sea, and I now 

 have the pleasure of submitting liis answer. 



Letter from David Porter, Esq. Charge do Affairs of Uie UniHJ 

 States at the Ottoman Poite. 



Coil5TANTiNopt.r, May 9, 1833. 



My Dear Sir, — I had the pleasure, yesterday, 

 to receive your favor of the 23d of July last, and 

 shall lose no time in endeavoring to procufe for 

 you some of the seeds of the Planua you describe. 

 If it is so valuable for the purposes of construc- 

 tion, as it must be by possessing the properties 

 you mention, I shall certainly be able to procure 



information respecting it from the officers of the 

 Navy Yard, as all the wood lor that establishment 

 is brought from the shores of the Black Sea. 

 There will be no difficulty in finding a convey- 

 ance for the seed, or some of the young trees, from 

 this phu'e, as the harbor of Constantinople is sel- 

 dom long without the presence of an American 

 vessel. I some time since sent to Mr J. S. Skin- 

 ner of Baltimore, a quantity of the seed of a beau- 

 tiful flowering tree, which I wished him to dis- 

 tribute ; it is here called the Giiul-Aghadj, {pio- 

 nounced Gool-Agadgi) or Rose tree ; it is said to be 

 a native of Persia or Armenia. I have never seen 

 but one, but Baron Ottiufelt, the Austrian Minis- 

 ter, informed ine that in liis garden there was aji- 

 other. 



it grows to the size of an orchard apple tree, 

 afixirds a fine shade, and an inuiiense quantity of 

 beautiful flowers of a light purple, tipt with white ; 

 the flowers bang like si^ tassels from the boughs, 

 the fringe of which is half the leug'.'i of the finger, 

 and widening from the stem in a fan like form. 

 The Baron, wha did not know the name, called it 

 the Silk Tassel tree, and froii; the appropriate 

 name he gave it, and from the deccriptiou of it, it 

 can be none other than the Gun! Aghadj. 



The seeds are contained in a pod, like that of 

 the Locust, and I am rather inclined to think that 

 it is something of the family of the Acacia. I do 

 not know that it is of any utility, but it is striking- 

 ly beautiful and ornamental. 



Mr Skinner, should it be desirable, will, no 

 doubt, take grct pleasure in furnishing you a sup- 

 ply of the seed. 



Whenever I can be useful, in furthering the 

 views of the society, I beg you to command nie 

 without cerenjony. 



Whh great respect, your very obt. serv't. 



David Porter. 



H. A.S.Dearborn, Esq. 

 Pres. Mass. Hor. Society. 



I have written to Mr Skinner desiring him to 

 be so good as to send a few of the seeds of the 

 magnificent Giiul Aghadj, and from the known 

 disposition of that worthy pairon of horticulture, 

 to disseminate such seeds and plants, which he 

 so often has the good fortime to receive from for- 

 eign countries, I have no doubt he will cheerfully 

 transmit a portion of those which he may have 

 received, if they .have not all been previously dis- 

 jjosed of. 



We were indebted last j ear to Capt. M. C. Per- 

 ry of the U. S. Navy, for a rich present of plants, 

 and I have recently received the following com- 

 munication fi(im that meritorious oflicer, together 

 with the donation to which he refers. 



Letter from M. C. Perry, of the United Stales Navy. 



U. S. Sliip Concord, harbor of M&Ua, ) 

 Jlarcb 9, 1832. j 



My Dear Sir, — I have placed iu charge of my 

 friend Mr Eynaud, U. S. Consul at this Port, two 

 tubs containing grape vines from Sicily which lie 

 has kindly olfered to forward to your society by 

 the first direct conveyance. 



The vine called Pollio was introduced into Si- 

 cily during the possession of that Island by the 

 Romans. It is a native of ancient Thrace, and is 



