PAK1IAMKNTARY 1'HAITICE. 



Park of 30 acre*, which contain- .1 fountain model], d 

 after thut (A' the Place (!. la Concorde. P.iris. In 

 ervy S.|iian'. on the s|M>t where Pnlaski fell in the 

 revolutionary war, has IH-CH erected an claWatc 

 monument, comprising a marhle -Imt't ">."> ft. hiuh. on 

 which sund> un arti-tioally designed and bfaiilil'ul 

 statue of Liberty. Monument S<|iiare possesses aj 

 Doric obelisk, ertvtcd to the memory of (icnend 

 Greene and Count Puhiski. the corner-stone of whirh 

 WM laid by Lafayette during his visit t this country 

 in 1- 



Atlanta possesses OgMkoiJM Park of 40 or 50 acres 

 in extent, which formed the site of the International 

 Cotton Ex|xjsition held in that city in 1881, one of (In- 

 most important and attractive of American industrial 

 exhibitions. 



Salt Lake City. I 'tali, is well provided with park 

 accommodation, it being divided into 21 wards, nearly 

 tivcry one of which has a public square. The park 

 idea, indeed, has extended almost universally through- 

 out the United States, and many even of our smallest 

 cities are adopting plans for securing public pleasure- 

 grounds while yet suitable localities can be had at rea- 

 sonable prices. 



In addition to its civic parks the United States now 

 possesses several national parks, comprising extensive 

 tracts of land, which, on account of their unique fea- 

 tures of natural scenery, have been withdrawn from 

 the public lands and set aside for the use of the people 

 forever. Two of these are in California, one being the 

 celebrated Yoseuiite Valley, which, for combined 

 beauty and sublimity of scenery, has no equal upon this 

 continent. (See YOSEMITE.) The other is the M:iri 

 ppsa grove of " Big Trees " (Seqwria qigantea), those 

 giants of the vegetable world wnich have so excited 

 the astonishment and admiration of travellers, and are 

 among the most striking natural wonders of the West- 

 ern Continent. This park is limited to an area of 4 

 sections of land or 4 square miles, its primary design 

 being to preserve these marvels of nature from the 

 destruction to which they wore exposed by the heed- 

 less greed of the speculative tree-choppers who have 

 already wrought such havoc in the American forests. 

 In this remarkable grove there are said to be 365 trees 

 of 10 ft diameter and over, besides very many smaller 

 ones. The highest tree is 272 ft., being 53 ft. lower 

 than the highest of the Calaveras grove, but its trees 

 exceed those of the latter in average bulk, the largest 

 having still a circumference of 94 ft., after being much 

 reduced by burning. The remains of a giant tree on 

 the ground indicate a height of 400 and a diameter of 

 40 feet. A third national park, the most extensive of 

 all known parks and the most extraordinary for its 

 natural scenery, is the YKI.MMVSTONE NATIONAL PARK 

 (q. P.). We need but say here that it embraces 

 an area of 3579 square miles, within which it is said 

 that there arc more hot springs and geysers than in all 

 the remainder of the eartn. 



To the above-named national parks has recently 

 been added another, established with the same com- 

 mendable purpose of preserving America's great fea- 

 tures of natural scenery for the use of the pulilie 

 forever. This is the Niagara Park, set aside by order of 

 the State of New York in conjunction with a similar 

 commendable action of the Canadian authorities. The 

 park on the American side is to be about a mile long 

 and of varying width, from 100 ft. at the head of the 

 upper rapids to 800 ft. at the falls. Everything ob- 

 structing the view of the rapids and falls is to be 

 removed and the ground restored, as nearly as possible, 

 to its natural condition, no artificial obstructions of any 

 kind being permitted. The Canadian approach to the 

 falls is to be treated in the same manner, and this 

 noble phenomenon of nature will hereafter be free 

 from toe exactions and obstructions which have here- 

 tofore interfered with the enjoyment of its grandeur. 

 (See NIAGARA.) 



The Canadian government has recently followed the 



example of that of the United States in setting aside 

 a large tract of land possessing interesting natural 

 features as a national park. This tract, on the line of 

 the Canadian I'.n-itic Kail road, is laid out on a generous 

 scale, embracing 2'K) square miles of territory. The 

 railroad roaches it at Banff, a station L'n miles within 

 the Rijcky Mountains and 10 miles from their summit. 

 This di.-trici possesses hot sulphur springs of excellent 

 curative properties, and an abundance of fine natural 

 scenery, including mountains, rivers, etc. The springs 

 have been improved and beautified, picturesque batu- 

 hou-cs and ci,ti:n'i-> Imilt. and many miles of carriage 

 road laid out and graded through the park. The 

 rivers are spanned by bridges and bridle-paths have 

 lii-en made in all directions. The railroad company 

 has built a commodious hotel at Banff for the con- 

 venience of tourists, but has no control over any other 

 portion of the tract, which is held for the free use of 

 the public. 



It is of interest to note that no_t only governments, 

 but private societies, are engaging in the desirable 

 work of thus preserving striking monuments of art 

 and nature. The Peabody Museum of Ethnology and 

 Archaeology has recently, at the suggestion of Prof. I-'. 

 W. Putnam, purchased and set aside as a public park 

 the Great Serpent Mound of Adams co., 0., with about 

 70 acres surrounding. This remarkable work, in the 

 form of a huge serpent 700 ft. in length, winding in 

 an undulating manner along the summit of a hill, and 

 apparently swallowing an egg-shaped body represented 

 by a mound 160ft. long, is unique among archaeological 

 remains, and the steps taken for its permanent preser- 

 vation are highly commendable. 



It is much to be desired that this system of preserv- 

 ing striking features of natural scenery by the estab- 

 lishment of national parks may be extended to all 

 localities throughout the world which are possessed of 

 remarkable scenic characteristics, or striking works of 

 aboriginal art, and which are exposed to injury or to 

 withdrawal from the use and enjoyment of the public. 

 There are many such localities, unique in their features 

 of interest, in various regions of the earth, which 

 should be thus preserved, and it is to be hoped 

 that the example set by the United States may be 

 followed by the national guardians of all such locali- 

 ties, (c. M.) 



PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE. Blackstone 

 observes that the word " parliament" was first applied 

 to general assemblies of the states under Louis VII. 

 jn France about the middle of the twelfth century, but 

 in that country it came eventually to be the designation 

 of a_ body which performed certain administrative 

 functions, but whose principal duties were those of a 

 court of justice. From France the name was carried 

 into England and applied to the great council of 

 the English nation; but, as the word comes from 

 the French jmrlcr, to talk, the title parliament has 

 been extended to other deliberative assemblies which 

 meet for the purpose of debating and deciding 

 questions which may be submitted. In a general 

 sense, therefore, a parliamentary body is one that 

 meets for the purpose of discussing, deliberating, 

 and deciding in an orderly and formal manner. Such 

 a gathering may be termed a parliament, a congress, 

 a convention, or it may be known by some other 

 name. 



Parliamentary law is the rule of action which should 

 direct and_ control the proceedings of a parliamentary 

 body. It is evident that some law or common under- 

 standing which shall bind and control the members 

 in the transaction of business is needed in a delibera- 

 tive body just as much as in the body politic. A state 

 without a law. or without laws to which obedience is 

 rendered. ir- in a condition of nnarchy, md a delibera- 

 tive assembly without binding laws would, likewise, be 

 in an anarchical condition. Parliamentary law tends 

 to prevent confusion and insures dignified despatch in 

 the traoMolioa of business. It is the result of long 



