386 



NIAV ENGLAND FAUlVlEU, 



Juno 2-2, 1831. 



oil cr plants, wliicli require a constanily liuniid soil, 

 niul decayed Vegetable iiiatler, fur tlicir nmini-li- 

 nient. 



Dn llic soiiilieastetn and iiortlicastcrn borders 

 oftlie tract can be arranged ilie nurseries, and 

 portions selected fur tlie culture of fruit trees and 

 esculent vegetables, on an extensive scale ; there 

 may be arrani;ed the Arborituin, the Orchanl, the 

 Culinarum, Floral deiiartrnents, 'Melon grtjuiids 

 a«id Strawberry beds, and Green lunises. 



The remainder of the land may be devoted to 

 llie Cemetery. 



By means of a more extensive correspondence, 

 with eminent hortii'ulturists it is certain, that many 

 valuable, rare andbeautilid plants may be obtain- 

 ed, not only from all parts of our own country, 

 but other regions of the globe, which cowld he 

 naturalized to the soil and climate of New Eng- 

 land. This can he effii'iently nuderlaken, so soon 

 as a Garden of E.xpernnent is formed, but it would 

 be almost useless to i)rocure large collections of 

 seeds or (dants, until we are enabled to cultivate 

 them, under the immediate direction of the Soci- 

 ety. 



Accounts of the experiments, which may be 

 made should be periodically reported and publish- 

 ed ; and seeds, buds, cuttings and uncommon varie- 

 ties of rooted plants may be distributed among the 

 members of the Society, and be sold for its benefit, 

 in such manner as may be found most expedient, 

 to render the garden the most extensively useful 

 in all its relations with the wants, comforts and 

 pleasures of life. 



Such an establishment is required for ' collect- 

 ing the scattered rays of intelhgence, and blend- 

 ing them witli the science and accumulating ex- 

 perience of the times,' and then <lilfusing them 

 far and wide, to cheer and enlighten the practical 

 horticulturist in his career of agreeable and profita- 

 ble industry. It will powerfully contribute to 

 increase the taste for rural pursuits, — stimulate a 

 generous spirit of research and emulation, — sug- 

 gest numerous objects worthy of inquiry and e.x- 

 porinient, — midliply the facilities of information 

 and the interchange of indigenous and exotic 

 jdants, — develope the vast vegetable resources of 

 the Union, — give activity to enterprise, — increase 

 the enjoyment of all classes of citizens, — advance 

 the prosperity, and improve the general aspect of 

 the whole country. 



The cstablishtHent of a Cemetert in connex- 

 ion with the Garden of ExPERtwENT, cannot 

 fail of meeting public approbation. Such rural 

 burial places were common, among the ancients, 

 who allowed no grave yards within their cities. 

 The Potter's Field was without the walls of Jeru- 

 salem, and in the Twelve Tables, it was prescribed 

 ' that the dead should neither be buried or burned 

 in the city' of Rome. Evelyn states, ' that the 

 custom of burying in churches and near about 

 them, especially in great cities, is a novel presump- 

 tion, indecent, sordid and very preju:lical to 

 health ; it was not done among the Christians in 

 the primitive ages ;' was forbidden by the Emper- 

 ors, Gratian, Valentian and Theodosius, and 

 never sanctioned until the time of Gregory the 

 Great. The Eastern Christians do not now inter 

 the dead within their churches. During the age 

 of the patriarchs groves were selected as places 

 of sepulchre. When Sarah died, Abraham pur- 

 chased ' the field of Ephron, in Machpelah, with 

 all the trees that were therein and the borders 

 round about, as a burying place,' and there he 

 buried his wife ; ' and there they buried Abraham, 



[■■aac, Rebekah and Leah ;' and when Jacob had 

 blessed his sous, ' he said unto them, I am to be 

 gathered unto my jieople : bury me with my 

 falhers in the cav« that is in the field of Ephron.' 

 Deborah ' was buried beneath Belh-el under an 

 oak,' and the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead remov- 

 e<l the bodies of Saul ami his suns from the 

 wall of Bethshoii and ' bmied them under a tree.' 

 Moses 'was buried in 'a valley in the laud of 

 .Moah ;' Joseph in ' a (larcel ofgroiind in Shechem ;' 

 Eleazer, the son of Aaron ' in a hill that pertained 

 to Pliinehas,' and Mana.ssah with Aitiun 'in the 

 garden of Uzza. ' 



The planting of rose-trees upon graves is an 

 ancient custonr; Anacreon sai s that ' it protects 

 the dead;' and Propenius indicates the usage 

 of burying amidst roses. 



Plato sanctioned the planting of trees over 

 sepulchres, and the tomb of Ariadne was in the 

 Arethusian Grove of Crete. The Catacombs of 

 Thebes were excavated in the gorges of the for- 

 est clad hills, on the opposite bank of the Nile, 

 and those of Memphis were beyond the lake 

 Acherusia, from whence the Grecian mylhologists 

 derived their fabulous accounts of the Elysian 

 fields. There it was supposed the souls of the 

 virtuous and illustrious retired after death, and 

 roamed through bower.*, forever green, and over 

 meadows spangled with flowers, and refreshed by 

 perennial streams. In the mountains near Jeru- 

 salem were located the tombs of the opulent Israel- 

 ites ; and irr a Garden, near the base of Calvary 

 had Joseph, the Aramalhean, prepared that me- 

 morable sepulchre in which was laid the crucified 

 Messiah. The Greeks and Romans often selected 

 the secluded recesses of wooded heights and vales, 

 as favorite places of inlcrmtnt, or the borders of 

 the great public highways, where elegant mojiu- 

 monts were erected, and surrounded with Cypress 

 and otber ever verdant trees. Many of the richly 

 sculptured sarcophagi and magnificent tombs, 

 reared by the once ])olished nations of Asia Minor 

 are still to be seen in the vicinity of the numerous 

 ruined cities, on the deserted coast of Karaniania. 



The Athenians allowed no burials within the 

 city. The illustrious men, who had either died 

 in the service of tlieir country, or were thought 

 deserving of the most distinguished honors, were 

 buried in the Ceraniicus, — an extensive public 

 cemetery on the road to Thria. Tombs and stat- 

 ues were elected to their memory, on which were 

 recounted their praises and exploits ; and to ren- 

 der them familiar to all, to animate every citizen 

 to a love of virtue and of glory, and to excite in 

 youthful minds, an ardent desire of imitating those 

 celebrated worthies, the spacious grounds were 

 embellished with trees and made a public promen- 

 ade. Within the Ceraniicus was the Academy 

 where Plato and tlie great men who followed him 

 met their disciples and held assemblies for philos- 

 o|ddcal conference and instruction. Connected 

 with the Academy was a Gymnasium and a gar- 

 den, which was adorned with delightful covered 

 walks, and refreshed by the waters of the 

 Cephisus, which flowed, under the shade of the 

 plain and various other trees, through its west- 

 ern borders. At the entrance and within the area 

 of the garden were temples, altars and statues of 

 the gods. 



The bodies of the Athenians, who Iiad fallen 

 in battle, were collected by their countrymen, and 

 after they were consumed on the funeral pile, their 

 bones were carried to Athens ; there they were 

 exposed, in cypress coflins, under a large tent, for 



three days, that the relations iiiiglit ijerlbnn those, 

 libations, v»hich afTection and religion iMijoined ; 

 then they were placed on as many cars, as there 

 were tribes, ai.d the procession priiceciled slowly 

 through the city, to the C'uvimii-.us, where funeral 

 games were exhibited, and tin oiaior publicly 

 appointed fur the occasion, priMioonced an cu- 

 logiimi. 



Even the Turks, who are sn opposed to the 

 cultivatiiui of the fine arts, embellish their grave- 

 yards with evergreens. With them it is a reli^- 

 ous iluty, to plant trees around the graves of tlieir 

 kindred, and the burying grouml of Scutari is one 

 of the most iiiieresiiiig o'.jjects in tii; environs of 

 Constantinople. Sitiiateil in the rear of the town 

 and extending along the declivity of the Asiatio 

 shore, towiirds the sea of Marinura, it [ircsents a 

 vast forest of majestic trees: and thither the in- 

 habitants of the imperial city generally resort, 

 during the sultry months of summer, to enjoy the 

 cool breezes, which descend from the Euxine, or are 

 wafted over the waves ol'the Propontis. Through- 

 out Italy, France and England, there are many 

 cemeteries which are ornamented with forest 

 trees and flowering shrubs. Pere La Chaise, in 

 the environs of Paris, has been admired, and cel- 

 ebrated, by every traveller, who has visited that 

 beautiful garden of the dead. 



In Liverpool a similar burying ground was 

 completed three years since, and a meeting hai 

 recently been held in London for funning one, ia 

 the vicinity of that city, of a size, and on a scale 

 of iiiMgnificenco, which shall quadrate with the 

 weal'h and vast extent of the mighty capital of 

 a great nation. Within the central area are to ba 

 exact models of the superb temples, trium[)hal 

 arches, columns and public monuments of Greece 

 and Rome, as receptacles, or memorials of the 

 departed worthies of the empire. 



The establishment of rural cemeteries similar to 

 that of Pere La Chaise, has often been the sub- 

 ject of conversation in this country, and frequently 

 adverted to by the writers in our scientific and 

 literary publications. Uiit a few years since, a 

 meetmg was hold in Boston, by many of its most 

 respectable citizens, for the purpose of maturing; 

 a ]ilan and forming such an establishment, in the 

 environs of the city. No one can he indifferent 

 to a subject of such deep and universal interest. Ia 

 whatever point of view it is considered, who is 

 there, that does not perceive numerous and pow- 

 er.'ul inducements, for aiding in its accomplish- 

 ment ? How consoling and pleasing is the thought 

 that our memories shall be cherished after death ; 

 and that the spot, where our ashes repose, shall he 

 often visited, by dear and constant friends ; that 

 they will there linger, to call up the soothing, yej 

 melancholy reminiscences of by gone times; 

 that the sod which covers us, will he kept ever 

 verdant; that a magnificent forest vviil he rear- 

 ed to overshadow our graves, by those truly 

 kind hands, which performed the last sad office of 

 affection ; that flowers will fringe the pathways, 

 leading to our lowly resting place, and their fra- 

 grance, mingled with the holiest aspirations as- 

 cend towards the throne oftlie Eternal. 



To those who mourn, what a consolation to 

 visit the bower-sequestered monument of a much 

 loved friend, under circumstances and with associ- 

 ations, so favorably calculated to revive agreeable 

 recollections of the past ; and when those revolt- 

 ing ideas are excluded, which obtrude upon the 

 mind, while standing in the usual ilreary, dcsolatd 

 and ruinous repositories of the dead. 



