PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 291 



than by means of the county parks? In the average city park, useful as 

 it may be, theire is not enough of nature at her best to gratify the inherent 

 longings of men, women and children for change, rest, something that at- 

 tracts, cheers, uplifts if only for a few hours. Multitudes have neither 

 the time nor the means to go to the country, to the mountains, the forests, 

 or the seashore. They can take a day off for a family, neighborhood, 

 township or county picnic; for a club meeting, rally, or convention and be 

 the better for it. There is too little o'f social intercourse measurably 

 freed from formality and the conventional a kind of sociability that min- 

 isters often to the completest refreshment and inspiration. 



The county park should be of ample extent. Any county can well af- 

 ford at least a section of land for such a purpose. More would be better 

 and better in a sort of geometric ratio. Its location should be determined 

 not by the mere convenience of any locality or localities. Other things 

 being equal, the more nearly central it is the better, o>f course, but sacrifice 

 of genuine park attributes foir the sake of saving a few miles to some 

 portion of the people would be fatal to the very end for which it exists. 

 The extent of the average Iowa county is not so great as to make inac- 

 cessible any portion of it from all other portions in these days of railroads, 

 interuirban trains, and automobiles. Varied and unusual topography along 

 or including a stream or pond of water is of almost vital importance in a 

 ipark of this kind. I only say "almost" because I am aware that such 

 conditions do not exist in any striking degree in some Iowa counties, and 

 yet they ought to have their parks emphasizing such favorable conditions 

 as they do have to the fullest extent. Level stretches along the water 

 side, rugged slopes gashed with ravines and ample upland areas should 

 be found in the county parks if possible, to give variety of sight and soil 

 for trees, shrubs and flowers. Wooded areas with occasional open spaces 

 for play grounds, for an athletic field, or merely for beauty and variety 

 should iprevail. Drives and pathways, only sufficient to make all parts 

 reasonably accessible, should be provided. Here and there a tree that 

 promises in the years to come to reach majestic proportions or to present 

 in an unusual degree the typical characteristics of the species to which it 

 belongs, should be favored with room for unrestricted development, for in 

 these days it is all too rare to see a tree at its best and a tree at its best 

 is as inspiring and impressive as a mountain or the ocean. 



The ipark as a whole, or at least some part of it, should serve as an 

 arboretum in which every specie of tree, vine, and shrub that will grow 

 in such conditions as the park affords, should be found ultimately. Wild 

 flowers of all kinds should be encouraged. In plaices nature should be al- 

 lowed to run riot. Elsewhere there should be some thinning and trim- 

 ming that there may be open woods as well as thickets, giving opportunity 

 for the breezes to enter and the sunshine to filter through, thus favoring 

 those plants to which both sun and shade are welcome. 



Vistas should be opened up and every device for giving variety and in- 

 terest should be adopted in places, as opportunity may suggest, but care 

 will need to be taken that these devices do not develop into pronounced 

 and offensive artificiality. Naturally such a place would be the ready re- 

 sort of birds and interesting animals in great numbers and variety, pro- 



