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OF THE 



ARNOLD ARBORJETUM 



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VOLUME III JANUARY, 1923 NUMBER 3 



THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS OF THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM 



C. S. SARGENT 



By his will signed on the 22d of May, 1868, James Arnold, a merchant 

 of New Bedford, Massachusetts, gave one and one-quarter of the twenty- 

 four parts into which he divided his residuary estate "To George B. 

 Emerson, John James Dixwell and Francis E. Parker Esqrs. of Boston 

 in trust: to be by them applied for the promotion of Agricultural, or 

 Horticultural improvements, or other Philosophical, or Philanthropic 

 purposes at their discretion, and to provide for the continuance of this 

 Trust hereafter to such persons, and on such conditions as they, or a 

 majority of them, may deem proper, to carry out the intention of the 

 donor." 



The senior of these Trustees, Mr. George B. Emerson, a distinguished 

 Boston schoolmaster, had long been interested in Natural History, espe- 

 cially in trees, and had prepared for the Commonwealth a report on " The 

 Trees and Shrubs growing naturally in the Forests of Massachusetts " pub- 

 lished in 1846 and an authoritative work on the subject still consulted by 

 students of trees. Mr. Dixwell, the second of these Trustees, a successful 

 Boston business man, was also a lover and student of trees, and had 

 assembled on his place in Jamaica Plain one of the largest and best collec- 

 tions of native and foreign trees which was growing at this time in New 

 England. Mr. Francis E. Parker, a Boston lawyer, was also one of the 

 Trustees under Mr. Arnold's will. Two therefore of the three men 

 appointed by Mr. Arnold to administer his bequest for the improvement 

 of Agriculture or Horticulture were interested in trees and understood the 

 importance to the world of more knowledge in regard to them than could 

 at that time be obtained in this country; and it was natural that the idea 

 of a scientific station for the study and cultivation of trees should have 

 occurred to them. They fortunately realized that such an institution 

 could be permanently and safely controlled by Harvard College. 



Mr. Arnold died December 3d, 1869; and on March 29, 1872, the Trus- 

 tees under his will and the President and Fellows of Harvard College signed 

 an indenture which contained the following provisions : 



" That, Whereas, the said James Arnold, by his last will, devised and 



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