FLOWER GARDEN AND LAWN. 



33 



mim 



Fig. 2525. Grave Yards as we ofien see them. 



strictly prohibited. A chaste monument, 

 with space for several inscriptions, erected 

 on a g-ood foundation in the centre of the 

 family lot, answers a better purpose than a 

 number of headstones, and may be cheaper. 

 Only one monument should be erected in a 

 family lot. The initials should be cut on 

 the top of all foot-stones, which should be 

 level with the surface of the ground, per- 

 mitting the lawn-mower to pass over them. 



NATURAL SLOPES. 

 Thirdly — Such a thing as a raised lot, or 

 terrace, must never be permitted, because 

 it mars the beauty of surrounding lots, 

 which are kept even with the natural slope 

 of the ground. The desire on the part of 

 some lot-owners, entirely devoid of taste for 

 landscape gardening, to have their lots 

 raised to a dead level without reg"ard to sur- 

 roundings, is one of the g"ieatest difficulties 

 which the cemetery managers have to con- 

 tend against. Hence it is actually neces- 

 sary that a rule be established prohibiting 

 the raising of any lots more than four inches 

 above the standard grade of the ground. 



GRAVEL WALKS. 



Fourthly — There can be but few well- 

 kept gravel walks in a cemetery. They 

 should be made only where there is likely to 

 be so much travel that turf would be worn 

 out. There is nothing so pleasant to walk 

 upon as closely mowed turf ; there is no walk 

 more beautiful than one of nature's green 

 carpet, therefore, the gravelling of paths or 

 aisles between or around lots should not be 

 allowed. Badly kept gravel walks are 

 nearly as objectionable as rusty railings. 



FLOWER PLANTING. 



Fifthly — Many lot-holders make a prac- 

 tice of planting flowers on or about the 

 graves of their deceased relatives. The 

 sentiment is praiseworthy, and should be en- 

 couraged to some extent, but it is quite 

 possible to have too much of a good thing. 

 Some kinds of flowers are short lived, and 

 their dying foliage gives a shabby appear- 

 ance. I have often seen cemetery lots 

 turned into flower gardens, which did not 

 look nearly so well as other lots kept in 

 neatly cut grass with only a small bed of 

 flowering plants at the foot of the graves. 



Fig. 2526. Grave Yards as they should be. 



Fig. 2527. Floral Troughs. 



