I 
486 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
grounds, we would say, that it is almost new—soil even un¬ 
broken in the spring of 1868, and planting commenced at once. 
They are of a southern and western slope; running down to 
and including a portion of the level land. The grapes occupy 
the south of the hill, but mostly near its base. As a means 
of protection, but more in the future than immediately, ever¬ 
greens have been planted in a large circle to the southwest 
from the grape plantation. Evergreens, small fruits and shrub¬ 
bery occupy and form a border along the grounds immediately 
adjoining the principal drive of the farm. Apples are planted 
in an open space, but protected by high land on the east, and 
a low thicket at a little distance on the north and west. To 
start the planting of these grounds, with the expectation of any 
satisfactory results, was no small task. With comparatively no 
knowledge of what would be contributed, either in kind or 
quantity^ to expect much was more than we did; to us 
’twas like creating a world from nothing, but unlike the world, 
we have not yet been prepared to say even ‘‘ very good ” in 
its general arrangement, but hope now that better hands may 
follow and complete, even perfect it in the beauty and utility, 
we may imagine of such a work. The spirit with which these 
donations have been sent, is well worthy of comment. We 
did not intend to approach any one in a spirit of beggary— 
though we sent hundreds of circulars, and also wrote numer¬ 
ous personal letters, but these were more as reminders than so¬ 
licitations. 
The contributions and some of the letters characteristic of 
the trade, we thought, would not be uninteresting, and the 
same were published in the Wisconsin Farmer. A resume 
shows that there were 108 apple trees, 4 varieties apple-tree 
scions, 163 raspberries, 56 currants, 54 ornamental shrubs, 150 
deciduous hedge plants, 1,599 evergreens, (of which 1,450 were 
contributed by one firm for a hedge experiment,) 107 grapes, 16 
crab trees, 36 strawberry plants, 47 gooseberries, 178 papers of 
seeds, 6 assorted deciduous trees, 32 plum trees, making a 
sum total of 2,560 trees, plants and shrubs. 
These are all doing well; but very few died. Grapes, berries, 
