14 Cbc Conservative *
THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM.
It is possibly not known to the public
that , ns a part of its park system , Bos
ton owns the most complete Arboretum
in the world , an Arboretum which is
not only of local but of national dis-
.tinction , since no other countiy can
show such a collection of trees and
shrubs , carefully disposed for both
study and enjoyment.
Landscape Gardening.
While the botanical order of Candolle
is there followed in the disposition of
the arborescent plants and trees , the
arrangement of the whole 220 acres has
been so carefully planned by that genius
in landscape gardening , Mr. Frederick
Law Olmstead , assisted by the taste and
profound botanical knowledge of Prof.
Charles Sprague Sargent , that the scien
tific value of the collection is lost sight
of in the picturesque beauty of the
scene.
. Twenty-five years ago the ground
now occupied by this Arboretum was a
rough , uncultivated region , partly hill
and partly low , swampy , ground ,
sprinkled here and there with timber in
an unkept condition , and overrun by a
wild growth of native shrubbery. It ,
however , rejoiced always in a very
noble growth of ancient hemlocks ,
which had survived the destruction of
the forest primeval , crowning a steep
hill with its sylvan beauty , which still ,
with its remote and savage charm so
strange to find hard by a great city , re
mains the most remarkable feature of
the Arboretum.
Harvard's Appropriation.
, Harvard College , at that time , de
cided to appropriate a bequest , made
some time before by Mr. James Arnold ,
of New Bedford , to the establishment
of an arboretum in connection with the
university , and so set aside for that pur
pose this tract of wild land which was apart
part of its real estate.
'The income of the Arnold fund ,
which even now amounts only to $7,000 ,
was a very inadequate sum for the
great task confronting Prof. Sargent ,
who was appointed the director. He ,
however , was able to make a bargain
for Harvard college with the city of
Boston , by which the municipality waste
to construct the roads and police the
grounds , on condition that the Arbore
tum should be allowed to form a part
of the fine park system by which that
town is surrounded.
Boston's part of the work is now com
pleted , it having spent $450,000 for con
tiguous land and roadways , in addition
vto the perpetual expense for policing.
A few public-spirited citi/eus have
given generously for the immediate
needs of the institution ; a fireproof
museum has boon built for the preserv
ation of the valuable' herbaria and the
priceless .library which are Ihe gift of
Prof. Sargent ; and nurseries for the
propagation and study of rare speci
mens have been prepared on a large
scale. The whole section has been
graded and carefully planted with
every woody growth that can bear the
climate ; old , decrepit trees have been
restored to life and beauty by careful
pruning and judicious tending ; the
natural groves have been trimmed and
preserved ; acres of shrubs have been
sot out , and specimen trees planted in a
way to insure their ultimate growth
into full perfection.
Though twenty-five years are very
few in the life of a tree , already the
young plantations are tall and vigorous ,
enabling the student to get a clear idea
of their habit of growth , and giving
pleasure to the eye of the most careless
passer-by , while the shrubberies are a
wonder of bloom and fruitage.
Season of Beauty.
To the very edge of the noble avenues ,
winding up the hillsides and through
the quiet intervales , crowd masses of
the rich native wild growth , so artisti
cally trained and cultivated , that the
arrangement seems perfectly natural
and simple. Throughout the flowering
season of the year , one sees here a per
petual succession of brilliant bloom in
harmonious composition. And when
the last ruddy or golden leaf of autum
has fallen , the bright hues of stem and
berry remain to lend color to the road
sides throughout the winter.
While the trees of- the botanic gar
dens of Kew and Paris are mere accessories
series to the herbaceous collections , in
the Arnold Arboretum they are the
main feature of the scene , and only
there , can one learn what may be done
with shrubs and vines in the way of
decorative effect.
Nature's School-Room.
The Arboretum is a great school for
landscape gardeners all over the coun
try , both on account of the complete
ness of its equipment in arborescent
plants , and also for the skill with which
they are there handled and planted.
It is also a lesson book for the many
thousands who stroll through it yearly ,
enabling them to learn how the simple
resources of their native roadsides can
suffice to make their homes beautiful ,
by wise selection from nature's nursery
assisted by intelligent care.
So complete , so instructive an institu
tion as this is unquestionably something
for the whole country to be proud of.
Boston has nobly established it at a
large expense , and it does not seem-un
just , that from outside New England ,
should now and then come a contribu
tion to help it on its way , since the
Arboretum is not only of importance to
its own immediate neighborhood , but is
a source of information to all who care
for the cultivation of their grounds and
enjoy the introduction into them of
fresh specimens from outside.
$300,000.
The Arnold Arboretum needs at pres
ent to add a fund of $800,000 to that
which it already owns , in order to en
able it to keep up its present standard
of high excellence. It can no longer
depend upon chance contributions for
its support , but requires an assured in
come , which , carefully expended , will
suffice to maintain and add to its collec
tions yearly. Its expenditures are un-
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