466 Horticulture in the Old Colony. 



grounds, fair cornfields, and pleasant gardens, with kitchen 

 gardens," and that Roxbury had " impaled cornfields and 

 fruitful gardens." And later,' in 1663, that " fruit trees pros- 

 per abundantly, apple trees, pear trees, quince trees, cherry 

 trees, plum trees, barberry bushes." Below Plymouth, and 

 on the Cape, the quince has long been cultivated to great ex- 

 tent, and in Sandwich and Eastham, there are specimens of 

 the old Bon Chretien pear, one or two hundred years old. 

 Thus we see how early were the Horticultural operations, 

 and can contrast them with their condition after a lapse of 

 two centuries. The same zeal which caused the plantation 

 of the gardens around Boston and Salem has been continued 

 by the descendants of the Pilgrims, and, while their example 

 has been imitated every where throughout the Union, still we 

 believe it has continued here far in advance of other portions 

 of the country. 



The soil of Plymouth, though considered generally poor 

 and sandy, has many localities of good land, as will be seen 

 from our review of the gardens here. On the slopes of the 

 hills, whose tops scarcely bear a verdant spear, may be seen 

 some of the best specimens of cultivation, and where once 

 stood " nothing but a few canvass booths and old houses," 

 now spread the verdant boughs, loaded Avith the choicest 

 fruits, the results of science applied to Horticultural Art. 



Since the formation of the Horticultural Society, a great deal 

 of enthusiasm has been infused into the amateur cultivators. 

 Proud, as they should be, of their superior specimens, which 

 have been already produced in their gardens, they are zealous 

 to continue their good work ; and hence we find that the new- 

 est pears already have found a place in many gardens. One 

 exhibition has been held, which would have been a credit to 

 much older associations. The specimens Avere not, of course, 

 as numerous as near large cities, but, for size and beauty, 

 have hardly been surpassed. They are determined to main- 

 tain this distinction, and they have our heartiest wishes for 

 their success. 



Garden of J. B. Thomas^ Esq. — Mr. Thomas is an enthu- 

 siastic amateur cultivator, and has crowded into his small 

 garden in the town a great number of fruit trees ; he has also 

 a garden of an acre in extent, about half a mile distant, in 



