98 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



plans for the future may receive the encouragement due to one so 

 heartily interested in his work. Cedar Hill is a lovelj" spot, and 

 if the means which the proprietors are abundantly able to supply 

 are onh* placed at the disposal of the trustees, a bright and pros- 

 perous future is before it. The examples of Charles H. Northam 

 and Mrs. Gallup are worth}' of emulation. 



I have already taken up more time than I intended to occupy. 

 If I have succeeded in interesting 3'ou in the work of this important 

 subject ; have convinced you that the work of planning Rural 

 Cemeteries is only just commenced, you begin to see, as I do,^ 

 that all new grounds can have the advantage of profiting by the 

 mistakes made in the older cemeteries, which are many. I should 

 like to have made my descriptions so vivid that you could have 

 seen all these places as I did ; how far I have succeeded in this 

 you know. I confess I am sorr^^ to stop here. I should like to 

 have gone into criticisms and practical points gained by observa- 

 tion, but I cannot. I should like to have shown you how some of 

 the old grounds could be improved and beautified, but mj- time is 

 not sufficient. I should like to have taken up the subject of orna-. 

 mentation, but if I did I should perhaps have said too much — in 

 what way or how you must for the present only conjecture ; and 

 perhaps it is well that I have no more time for this subject, for 

 the reason that a short time ago I was invited to criticise a very 

 radical article bearing on it ; at first I felt like doing so, but 

 when I visited the writer of the article, I received such kind atten- 

 tions, and our views were so thoroughly harmonious on the prin- 

 cipal rules which should govern our work, that I could not say a 

 word, although I believe in kindly criticism, for it is helpful. I 

 hope I have given you good reasons why I should forbear at this 

 time. 



I have another part now to take up — that of Parks. I shall 

 attempt but little, as my time for preparation was too limited to 

 do it justice. The subject of establishing parks in our cities and 

 larger towns is absorbing a good deal of attention, much time, and 

 large sums of money. Our own city of Boston is coming in for 

 its full share of all. The magnificent system planned for us can- 

 not be excelled. The Back Bay Park has its place ; its success 

 and utility are well known to you. The Public Garden — not a park 

 at all — has received all the criticism, kind and unkind, that is good 



