i§g8. 



GARDENING. 



307 



concise as possible for the laying >tit of 

 different forms of beds, I have vet to 

 explain how to "read" a plan or diagram 

 of such a bed. There is, then, three differ- 

 ent cases to consider; either the design is 

 drawn according to a scale or the dimen- 

 sions necessary for the outline of the bed 

 are given. Then we have designs where 

 neither scale nor dimensions are given, 

 especially designs from books. Where a 

 design is drawn to a certain scale, say 

 one'fourth of an inch to a foot it means 

 that each one-fourth inch on paper repre- 

 sents one foot on the ground ; consequently 

 tJrie inch is equal to four feet, one eighth 

 inch to six inches, etc. This scale is also 

 called one-fortyeighth, as this is the pro- 

 portion in which it is drawn. A carpen- 

 ter's rule can be used for reading the 

 different measures, but a draughtsman's 

 scale is handier. 



When the principal dimensions only are 

 given we have to make a scale for our- 

 selves. If, for instance, in a circle with a 

 radius of six feet we draw a straight line 

 on which we mark the length of the radius 

 and divide this in six equal parts, each of 

 these representing one foot, the end one 

 of these we can divide in two, three, four, 

 six or twelve parts each representing 



Fig- S3- 



respectively six, four, three, two or one 

 inches. Fig. 32 shows such a scale ten feet 

 long, the foot to the left being divided 

 into six parts, each equal to two inches. 



When we have a design not drawn to 

 any certain scale and with no dimensions 

 given, we have to study its nature accord- 

 ing to the rules given for the planting. 

 Considering that a single row of alter- 

 nanthera cannot occupy less space than 

 three inches in width without being 

 trimmed hard, and a single row of coleus 

 not less than six inches we have some 

 hints to guide us; these, together with the 

 general nature of the design will give us 

 an idea of the smallest size in which it 

 can be planted, and it will then allow of 

 some variation. When this is decided on 

 we have only to make a suitable scale as 

 above mentioned. 



The main thing in reading a design is 

 to find the centers. Whenitisan original 

 drawing we can generally see where the 

 dividers have perforated the paper by 

 holding it to the light and we can soon 

 select the necessary ones, if a blue print 

 or any other rep'roductioa, we have to 

 find them bv construction. 



Fig. 32 represents one-half of Fig. 

 24- drawn to a larger scale. We find that 

 it consists of foursvmmetrical parts, two 

 of which are shown here, by drawing line 

 a-b from end to end and constructing line 

 c-d we have it quartered. In this line, 

 c-d, we have the centers for the 1 .uthne of 

 the bed and the inside line of the border. 

 By setting one point of the dividers on the 

 line, about where we judge the center to 

 be, adjusting the other point to a and 

 describing the curve from there, we can 

 see how near it is true. If this curve is 

 flatter than the original, our radius is too 

 long and we must move the point on the 



line closer towards the curve; if it is 

 rounder than the original, the radius is 

 tdo short, and we move the dividers fur- 

 ther out. When we find the center, g, we 

 mark it with a little circle, as shown on 

 the illustration. The corresponding cen- 

 ter is on the other side at the same dis- 

 tance from b. B itself is thecenter forthe 

 circle in the middle. The centers f are 

 also found in line c-d, while centers jf are 

 in line a-b, one to each side of b. Theeefl- 

 ters h for curves a-b are found by con- 

 structing for one of the curves theperpen- 

 dicular on the middle, with which con- 

 struction we are now familiar, and then 

 proceeding as directed for finding center 

 e. When found set one point of the divid- 

 ers in b, adjust the other one to h, draw 

 a curve across line c-d above and below, 

 mark the distance from h to line c-d (in 

 this case h-e) on each side above and 

 below, and that gives you these four cor- 

 responding centers. Find the other cen- 

 ters in the same manner, and after this 

 you only have to read them on the scale. 



Fig. 33 shows a different way. When 

 there are many centers to find it takes 

 time, and we may not after all get them 

 exactly true; in such cases we can draw 

 auxiliary lines on the diagram, with pegs 

 and twine we can mark them on the 

 ground and then draw the design free- 

 hand. This is Fig. 23 and the lines are 

 drawn 1 foot apart each way. The 

 ellipse is of course laid out on the ground 

 as formerly directed and the axis major 

 and minor help to get the lines true. 



When the design is laid out, we are 

 ready for the planting, which for the 

 more complicated designs is quite a diffi- 

 cult task. The plants should be stocky 

 and well hardened; with long, drawn ma- 

 terial nobody can do decent work. The 

 alternantheras should be well colored, 

 and those grown in boxes or hotbeds are 

 better than the pot-grown stock. For 

 large plants, as cannas, the spade is the 

 best planting tool, one man lifting the 

 soil and another one setting the plant. 

 For ordinary sized plants the trowel is 

 our mainstay, and a good strong steel 

 trowel is the cheapest in the end. For 

 small plants the fingers can be used if it 

 is a small job and the soil mellow, other- 

 wise, or when the nails are worn to the 

 quick, a small pointed stick or the small- 

 est size of transplanting trowel can be 

 used. In designs drawn as these, the 

 plants must not be planted in the lines, 

 but only to the lines, as these represent 

 the boundary of the different colors; for 

 that reason the best planter should do 



Fig 34- 



the outlining, and almost anybody used 

 to planting can do the filling. The design 

 of the bed is planted first, the ground 

 color last. The plants should be set nice 

 and even; if they are not all of one size, 

 the taller ones are planted a little deeper 

 to equalize matters, and it may be neces- 

 sary to pinch off a few stray shoots that 

 reach above the others. 



And now a few words about the plant- 

 ing of echeverias; these little plants give 

 the prettiest effects when they are outlin- 

 ing the bed or parts of the design or both, 

 thev should, however, be planted sloping, 

 so that thev at the same time raise the 

 bed. How to do this planting is rather a 

 difficult matter to explain. 



Fig. 34- shows the operation. The soil 

 is made wet so that it sticks like putty 

 and will "stand" by holding one hand on 

 the line with the desired slope and press- 

 ing the soil against it firmly with the 

 other hand in a shape as the dotted line 

 shows, then the echeverias are laid firmly 

 in this and soil pressed on top; after this 

 si .il is filled in to make the surface even. 

 [1 the outline of the bed is planted and 

 raised in this manner, the design cannot 

 of course be laid out until this is done. 



By right a carpet bed should look per- 

 fect when planted, but that takes many 

 plants and makes the bed expensive, and 

 1 m this account such beds are generally 

 planted with a little space between the 

 plants. Until the plants are well estab- 

 lished and fill the bed, they should be 

 watered well, but from that time they 

 should only receive water when they need 

 it, otherwise they grow too fast and the 

 best colored leaves fall for the shears. 

 H. Hansen. 



Trees and Shrubs. 



DUTIES OF PARK COMMISSIONERS. 



The following is an abstract of a paper 

 by Christian Wahl, president of the 

 Milwaukee park commission, read at the 

 recent Minneapolis convention of the 

 Park and Outdoor Art Association: 



Large and small public open air spaces 

 in all communities, and especially in 

 crowded cities, are universally recognized 

 to be of the greatest value in maintaining 

 and increasing the health, pleasure and 

 knowledge of all the citizens and in add- 

 ing to the attractiveness of the city as a 

 place of residence. 



They add to the pleasure and health of 

 those who are full in life and vigor by 

 providing for the active forms of out- 

 door amusement at riding, wheeling, 

 boating, etc., amid attractive surround- 

 ings, and to their knowledge by provid- 

 ing an opportunity for the study of 

 plants, animals and birds under the most 

 favorable conditions. 



It is of even greater importance that 

 these public recreation grounds add to 

 the health and consequently to the pro- 

 ducing capacitv- as workers in the com- 

 munity, of persons who are weak, tired, 

 nervous, exhausted and sick bj' provid- 

 ing and making accessible beautiful land- 

 scapes and secluded natural retreats 

 made interesting and attractive by an 

 abundance of plants, flowers and birds 

 that may be enjoyed with a feeling of 

 perfect security. 



' It is the duty of park commissioners to 

 see that as much of all this is provided as 

 the means at their disposal will permit; 

 to see that the various forms of recrea- 

 tion are provided in such a manner that 

 they will not interfere with each other; 

 to see that the needs of those who are 

 worn and tired are not neglected in pro- 

 viding for the demands of those who are 

 vigorous, energetic and aggressive. 



It is the duty of park commissioners to 

 seek the most expert advice in solving the 

 problems presented in the selection of 

 park lands and in designing of the vari- 

 ous features of a park system. It is not 

 to be expected that such problems can be 

 solved successfully by men whose whole 

 lives have been devoted to other pursuits. 

 It is true that some men who are not 

 professional park designers are so well 

 fitted by nature and so well equipped by 

 travel, study and knowledge of the 

 practical requirements involved in the 



