A DAY IN GROVELAND, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1883. 



THE meeting this day was held by invitation of the 

 Groveland Flower Mission, and was one of much enjoy- 

 ment. 



It was attended by a good delegation from Salem, and 

 in the afternoon by many representative citizens of the 

 immediate neighborhood. At the station, on the arrival 

 of the morning train, was a committee who kindly guided 

 the visitors to the places of interest. 



Some passed the forenoon exploring the fields along 

 Johnson's Creek, above the Boston and Maine Railroad 

 Station and Palmer's Creek, which finds its way to the river, 

 a short distance below Balch's Grove, in quest of plants, 

 a good collection of which was made for the afternoon 

 session. 



Among those who visited the " Great Rock" was Mr. 

 Alfred Osgood of Newburyport, who says it is a boulder 

 of apparently fifteen tons, resting upon three smaller 

 stones ; it is of diorite, the prevailing rock of this vicin- 

 ity, which consists of feldspar and hornblende. Those 

 who did not join the excursionists went to Balch's Grove, 

 the place for the meeting, which is a very attractive spot, 

 bordering on the Merrimac River. It is extensive in 

 area, and is made up of some open level land and a hill 

 which extends, we should judge, almost or quite half a 

 mile in the direction of the Groveland bridge. The 

 eastern termination of this hill rises from the river's path- 

 way as a steep bluff, and from the cleared space at the 

 summit a very fine river-view may be obtained, which in- 

 cludes the hills and wooded banks opposite, the river 

 below until it winds out of sight and the flourishing city 



(128) 



