April 10, 187-1. J 



JODENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



313 



yards. No ragged Nettles should fill its corners, nor should the 

 herbage be cropped by sheep, as is so often done, but the whole 

 of the surface of this small portion of mother earth containing 

 the remains of our kindred should be clothed with a carpet of 

 line turf intersected by convenient gravel-walks all kept trim. 

 Upon the walls of the church that are sheltered and sunny 

 there might be such Rosea as Solfaterre, Gloire de Dijon, and 

 Souvenir d'nn Ami, mingled with Clematis, Jasmine, Es- 

 callonia, and Ceanothus ; and for walls of colder aspects 

 Lonicera flexuosa, Cratiegus Pyracantha, and Ivy. Although 

 large trees are out of place in so confined a space, a few 

 Conifers might frequently be introduced with advantage. Of 

 such I would select Abies canadensis and A. Albertiana, Cu- 

 pressus macrocarpa, Juniperus chinensis. Thuja aurea, Re- 

 tinospora pisifera, and Retinospora ericoides. Nor would I 



confine the list solely to evergreen forms, but let the falling 

 leaves, swelling buds, and opening flowers of deciduous shrubs 

 each in their season impart a meaning and significance to the 

 planting, causing it to convey many a lesson of comfort and 

 hope to those who there drink deeply of sorrow's bitter cup. >■" 

 We have a perfect host of familiar forms to select from, all 

 very suitable for the purpose, such as Lilacs, Thorns, Pyrus, 

 Berberis, Broom, Gneldres Rose, Furze, Deutzia, Cotoneaster, 

 Roses, Spirica, and Weigela in all their numerous varieties. 

 Then, too, the graves themselves should be made bright with 

 flowers. The Snowdrop, Crocus, Iris, Scilla, Colchicnm, Nar- 

 cissus, and Anemone among the bulbs, &a., with Lily of the 

 Valley and other hardy flowers both perennial and annual, 

 would regularly impart a cheerful air of brightness ; and so by 

 the exercise of a httle energy and taste the village cemetery 



WEST LAUREL htt. t. CEilETEIlY, 



might be converted into a scene of quiet beauty, that would 

 not only tend to " comfort those who mourn," but would, I 

 think, be found to exercise a healthy influence not only upon 

 the minds bat the lives of the entire community. The abler 

 pens of your clerical correspondents will, however, more fitly 

 dilate upon its moral influences. 



I will turn now to the larger cemeteries of towns. Most of 

 them are of considerable extent, hence a bolder and more 

 varied style of plantiug is desirable. The " black funereal 

 Tew," the Cypress, and Weeping Willow may find a place 

 there, but trees of this type should by no means predominate. 

 Infinite Wisdom has spread broadcast over the earth an im- 

 mense variety of vegetable forms, stately trees, bright flowers, 

 yielding an endless profusion of gay colours and rich perfumes, 

 and we shall surely do well to plant the choicest of these 

 " bright gems of earth " within the precincts of our cemeteries. 

 Not that I would wish to convert the scene into one huge 

 flower garden, for there should be repose even to excess by 

 means of the turf and carefully disposed groups of trees ; and 

 for a very large cemetery I would introduce a grove, or, if the 

 inequalities of the ground admitted of it, a secluded dell shut- 

 in by trees, with winding walks and seats for quiet thought and 

 meditation. Soft Fern-clad banks, gently rippling streams, 

 and other similar features might there be brought into play 

 wherever they are available, the soothing nature of such things 

 being keenly appreciated by minds opened by grief to their in- 

 fluences. If a grove were planted it might be arranged so as 

 to form a pleasing background to the chapels. 



The main road usually begins near the superintendent's 

 house, sweeping onwards till it branches to the chapels, and 

 from these drives spring the entire series of walks. An avenue 

 of Picea Nordmanniana or Abies Douglasii from the entrance 

 to the chapels, with the trees kept well back from the sides of 

 the road, and far enough apart for an open expanse of turf 

 always to surround each tree, would impart an air of dignified 

 repose to what may justly be regarded as the most important 

 part of the cemetery ; and this effect would constantly increase 

 as the trees became larger, for the calm majesty of their pre- 

 sence, with the blue sky or fleecy clouds high overhead, would, 

 I think, be most impressive, and the dead would be borne to 

 their rest along a nobler colonnade than is to ha found among 

 the lofty pillars of any cathedral. 



Clumps of flowering shrubs, single specimens of trees that 

 are remarkable for symmetry or size, might be grouped near 

 the margin of the walks, and be interspersed among the graves, 

 so as to afford an agreeable relief to the monotony of the flat 

 or widespread surface. Flowers should crown the graves, and 

 climbing plants soften the harsh esclusiveness of enclosures. 

 Plants of this class, too, if rightly used are most striking upon 

 the tombs themselves. The effect of a white stone with its 

 top and sides partly concealed by wreaths of the deep purple 

 Clematis Jackmanni would be'very chaste ; so, too, would the 

 white star-Uke blossoms of Clematis montana, clustering in 

 masses upon a stone of "granite grey." Generally speaking, 

 however, a few simple flowers grouped around the grave are 

 preferable to all straining for artistic effect ; and whatever is 



