Historic leaves, volume 5, April, 1906 - January, 1907

Before 1824 an orchard of four or five acres was planted on this estate, and fifty years ago was flourishing in its prime where Magoun square now is. Aaron B. Magoun had a nursery on Winter Hill :t a later time. A hackmatack, planted by John C. Magoun in 1824, or a little later, whose top leans from long struggles with prevailing winds, is a landmark from distant points to those whose home interests centre around this spot.

A large horse-chestnut, four white mulberry trees, and several elms on the terrace opposite attract attention by their size and appearance of vigor. The elms, remembered by a near-by resident as large trees in her girlhood, are at least seventy-five years old. Two Lombardy poplars of advanced age stand in the yard of a house on Main street, and peep over the top of the hill at the observer. Three large chestnut trees, a butternut, and half a dozen other mulberry trees formerly grew here. The mulberry trees were raised by William Woodbury, who imported the seed from Italy at the time of the craze for silk-worm culture. From 1836 to 1841 the state-paid a bounty on mulberry trees. Another mulberry tree of the same kind stands on Sycamore street close to the railroad bridge. A butternut grows in the yard of the house on the opposite side.

A sapling, now grown to be a noble tree in its prime, was set out some time in the seventeen-seventies by John Tufts, when lie began to occupy the Tufts house on Sycamore street, soon after General Lee left it. Mr. Tufts set it out to shade the well, and if it could speak it would tell a tale of domestic quiet and happiness, rather than one of the bruit of arms. In the memory