ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF COUNTRY VILLAGES. 233 



we leave to the learned and ingenious Professor Agassiz. Certain 

 it is, our ancestors did not bring over this national trait from Eng- 

 land ; for in that small, and yet great kingdom, not larger than one 

 of our largest states, there is one city London which has more 

 acres devoted to public parks, than can be numbered for this pur- 

 pose in all America. 



It may appear too soon to talk of village greens, and village 

 squares, or small parks planted with trees, and open to the common 

 enjoyment of the inhabitants, in the case of GRACELESS VILLAGES, 

 where there is yet not a shade-tree standing in one of the streets. 

 But this will come gradually ; and all the sooner, just in proportion 

 as the apostles of taste multiply in various parts of the country. 

 Persons interested in these improvements, and who are not aware of 

 what has been done in some parts of New England, should imme- 

 diately visit New Haven and Springfield. The former city is a 

 bower of elms; and the inhabitants who now walk beneath spa- 

 cious avenues, of this finest of American trees, speak with gratitude 

 of the energy, public spirit and taste of the late Mr. Hillhouse, who 

 was the great apostle of taste for that city, years ago, when the 

 streets were as bare as those of the most graceless villages in the 

 land. And what stranger has passed through Springfield, and not 

 recognized immediately a superior spirit in the place, which long 

 since suggested and planted the pretty little square which now orna- 

 ments the town ? 



But we should be doing injustice to the principle of progress, to 

 which we have already referred, if we did. not mention here the 

 signs of the times, which we have lately noticed ; signs that prove 

 the spirit of rural improvement is fairly awake over this broad con- 

 tinent. We have received accounts, within the last month, of the 

 doings of ornamental tree associations, lately formed in five different 

 states, from New Hampshire to Tennessee.* The object of these 

 associations is to do precisely what nobody in particular thinks it 

 his business to do ; that is, to rouse the public mind to the impor- 



* We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of commending the public 

 spirit of a gentleman in one of the villages in western New York, who, by 

 offering a bounty for all trees planted in the village where he lives, has in- 

 duced many to set about the work in good earnest 



