240 TRANSACTIONS OF THE HORTICULTURAL 



The President aiuiounced as Committee on Final Resolutions. 

 Messrs. Bryant and Scott: Committee on Forestry, Bryant, Scotield 

 and Edwards. 



LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AS APPLIED TO CEMETERIES. 

 BY J. P. BRYANT, OF PRINCETON. 



As cemeteries are objects of interest to all classes of people, and 

 in small towns especially, they need the practical interest of some 

 persons competent to manage them properly. I have thought it not 

 improper to say a few words in regard to them under the head of 

 Landscape Architecture. As they need the skill of some one who 

 has studied tree planting to lay them out properly, what class of 

 men should be more interested, or what class is it more fit to address 

 on the subject, than horticulturists'? I am sure that many of them 

 will find an opportunity to take a lead in the work of providing 

 burial places — burial places that will attract and charm by their 

 beauty, and not repel by their ugliness and deformity. With this 

 much by way of introduction. I will proceed to give a few hints 

 that I am sure will prove of value, if they do no more than call 

 attention to this important subject, and induce some one to take a 

 practical, working interest in the matter. 



Rural cemeteries as a rule, have been neglected patches of 

 ground devoted to the burial of the dead, and, seemingly, also to the 

 growth of brambles and weeds. Driven by the cares of a busy life 

 we soon forget our friends whose remains are laid away in the 

 ground forever, and after, at the most, a few years, their graves are 

 neglected spots that are eyesores to every visitor. Once in a while 

 an effort is made and a little improvement is seen for a short time, 

 but except among some, foreigners by birth, little individual care is 

 taken of burial-places. For this reason family burying-grounds, or 

 small cemeteries carried on by associations, are not usually a success, 

 but are apt, as the writer has known in several instances, to become 

 entirely neglected and deserted. To have a cemetery properly man- 

 aged it is necessary to employ some one to improve the grounds and 

 keep them in repair. Where cemeteries are small the expense is 

 often what the lot owners are not willing to meet, hence it is best to 

 have as few cemeteries as possible — one large one taking the place of 

 several that are smaller. Skill in laying out and economy in man- 

 agement will then be more likely to be secured. 



As said before, cemetery associations on a small scale are not 

 likely to be a success. No funds for improvement can be had and 

 no person will feel enough interested to take the responsibility and 

 time necessary to carry on the work as it should be done, though 

 near a large city private corporations can make money enough out 

 of the business to induce them to invest the money and skill 



