REPOETS. 



REPORT OF THE COM. ON ORNAMENTAL GARDENING, 



For the Year 1865. 

 BY W. K. AUSTIN, CHAIRMAN. 



Mr. President: — 



In behalf of the Garden Committee I have to report that but four gardens 

 have been visited the past summer, by special invitation, the first bein^ 

 Doctor Kelley's, of Newburyport. This visit took place June 8th, on a warm 

 but very pleasant day. We left the Eastern Depot about 12 o'clock, and at 

 Salem were joined by our old friend, Mr. Cabot. We arrived at the Depot 

 in Newburyport, about 2 o'clock, and found the Doctor in waiting, with 

 carriages, and a short drive brought us to his residence, formerly known as 

 the Lord Dexter place, but now called the " Evergreens." 



Although it had been explained in advance to the Doctor, that we were not 

 an '• eating and drinking Committee," nevertheless, being about his dinner 

 hour, and after so long a ride, he seemed to think the inner man needed 

 attention, and as it was soon apparent a dinner had been provided, we could 

 not do less than partake of the hospitality, and we sat down to a very choice 

 family dinner, favored with the presence of the ladies, who always give a 

 charm and grace to every such occasion. Having despatched our meal, with 

 as much haste as etiquette and social converse would admit, we proceeded 

 to a survey of the grounds. 



The house, (a good old fashioned one, with liberal proportions,) stands con- 

 venient to the road, some eighty feet back, shtltered by evergreens, orna- 

 mental and shade trees, with a convenient and unique driveway, bordered 

 with neat hedges, the most beautiful of which, to our taste, was the silver- 

 leaved hemlock; a nice looking fence in front arrested the attention, for, 

 though of wood, it did not touch the ground, and we found it solid and sub- 

 stantial as well as neat, having stone posts, out of sight inside. 



Winding our way, under the lead of the Doctor, we took first the circuit 

 of the front and ornamental portion of the grounds, consisting of many vari- 

 eties of evergreens, fancy and ornamental trees, and hedges, with sheltered 

 walks, shrubs and flowers, and shaded bowers, and holly ; all indicating a 

 somewhat romantic taste. We were particularly struck with the neat training 

 and pruning of the evergreen hedges, all trimmed by the Doctor's own hands, 

 and al:3o of the great beauty of single isolated trees, and clumps of trees. 

 1 



