STATE POiMOLOGlCAL SOCIETY. IQl 



iug out a large number of parks and lawns which are planted with 

 shade trees. 



I propose, in this paper, to give a brief account of the origin and 

 extent of the decorations and improvements on the line of the 

 Maine Central railroad and its branches. 



During the years 1879 and '80 the stations on the line of the road 

 running from Cumberland Junction to Waterville, and its branches, 

 ver}' man}' of them, were much improved by the laying out of 

 parks and lawns where the grounds would admit of it. Walnut 

 Hill, Gray, Danville Junction, Auburn Park, Leeds Station, Mon- 

 mouth and Winthrop each had improvements made, and in each 

 case the work was very finely laid out and finished ; so that at each 

 station the lawn presented a beautiful deep green. In 1880, Maran- 

 acook was opened up and laid out for a summer resort, and it would 

 be needless for me to attempt to describe its manj- attractions, as it 

 has become so familiar to all. On the lower route, Woodford's, 

 Cumberland Junction, Freeport, Brunswick Park, Riverside, Wins- 

 low and Fairfield each had their lawn or park as the grounds would 

 allow. These were either filled up and graded and then turfed with 

 rich sods, or sown with lawn grass seed, and as they are all kept 

 sheared, one can easil}' conceive how attractive they are. The 

 larger parks have been set with trees. Auburn and Brunswick par- 

 ticularly having each a fine lot of thrifty trees, that in a few years will 

 be very ornamental, not only to the road but the city and village. The 

 grounds at Waterville are set with trees, but they are so extensive, 

 and 1 believe a portion l^elong to the colleges there, that they are 

 not enclosed, but are verj' fine. 



This work has been done, on the back route, under the direction 

 and supervision of Mr. Geo. Wagg, and on the lower route by Mr. 

 Geo. Nevens, both gentlemen of ver}' fine taste. Besides these 

 there has been very much done from AYaterville to Bangor, and 

 since the Maine Central has taken control of the European & North 

 American Line, the same beautifying of stations has been com- 

 menced there. 



The New^ York Grajihic, of June 29, 1883, speaking of the 

 amount of plants, &c., used on the different roads, says : " Now 

 the General Manager of the Maine Central railroad takes as naturally 

 to this method as a part of his management as a duck takes to 

 water, but it is not applied the same wa}'. No prizes are oflJered 

 upon the Maine Central for the care and ornamentation of the depot 



