Pioneering Projects

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Figure 34
Olmsted's plan for the Arnold Arboretum, 1879.

Pioneering Projects

The land that eventually became the Arnold Arboretum was located only a short distance from Holm Lea: the Benjamin Bussey farm of about 210 acres between Centre and South streets in Jamaica Plain. Like Ignatius Sargent, Bussey had consolidated his property by buying several smaller farms in the early years of the nineteenth century. In 1842 he willed his estate to Harvard for use as an agricultural school. Since the will allowed for lifelong tenancy by Bussey's heirs, the entire property did not become available to Harvard until 1873, although Bussey's granddaughter released about seven acres for the agricultural school in 1869.²¹

In later years Sargent described the Bussey homestead as a “worn-out farm.” By Holm Lea standards, it was undoubtedly neglected, but the spot still had many beautiful features in the 1870s, including a natural stand of hemlocks on a steep slope (Hemlock Hill), overlooking a winding stream, and Bussey Hill, which had a view over all of Boston, Bussey allowed the public to stroll through his grounds, even providing bridges and rustic seats. His woods were a favorite haunt of Margaret Fuller during the years (1839–1842) that she lived in Jamaica Plain, and she often brought her literary friends to enjoy the views from Hemlock Hill. Thus, years before it became the Arboretum, Bussey Farm served as an informal park.²²

In 1868 James Arnold of New Bedford, another tree-loving amateur horticulturist, died and willed a relatively small sum (approximately $100,000) to three friends, George B. Emerson, John J. Dixwell, and Francis E. Parker, as trustees. Emerson was primarily an educator, but he was also a respected authority on trees and was the author of *Trees and Shrubs Growing Naturally in the Forests of Massachusetts*, first published in 1846. As mentioned in Chapter III, he testified in favor of “breathing spaces” and improved roads at the 1869 park hearings.²³

It was Emerson who first proposed that the Arnold bequest be used to establish an arboretum, in accordance with Arnold's apparent wish. Although the will read that the money was to be used "for the promotion of Agricultural or Horticultural improvements, or other Philosophical or Philanthropic purposes at their discretion," this rather vague directive was intended to give the trustees some lee-

way in case the arboretum project did not work out. Emerson wisely felt that the fund should be used for the arboretum itself and not for the acquisition of land at current real estate prices. The logical solution was to give it to an institution such as Harvard, which already had some land. He and the other two trustees met with Asa Gray of the Harvard Botanic Garden, who favored the idea but wanted the arboretum on Observatory Hill in Cambridge, next to the Garden. This proved to be impractical, and after considering other alternatives the Arnold trustees settled on Bussey Farm as the best site. An indenture to this effect was signed by the trustees and Harvard President Charles W. Eliot on March 29, 1872.²⁴

Gray, who was nearing retirement at about this time, began to feel overwhelmed by teaching and other responsibilities. Between 1872 and 1874 he requested and was granted four assistants; Sargent, who became director of the Botanic Garden, was the only one who was not a botanist. In fact, he

Figure 33
Charles Sprague Sargent in the library at the Arnold Arboretum Administration Building.