Chap. XIL] THE CEMETERIES OF PARIS. 181 



plants, such as the various Ivies, Clematis, Cotoncaster, etc. Some- 

 times tombs may offer opportunities here and there for the growth 

 of a plant of similar character ; but there should be no disturb- 

 ance of any monuments or graves for planting of any kind. 

 Intelligence will be best employed in beautifying, not concealing 

 or obliterating such objects. 



Flower-beds of the common type are quite out of place in a 

 churchyard. A group of Yuccas or of Lilies may be planted, but 

 they do not need formal beds ; the tasteful gardener may make 

 at least one beautiful large bed — the whole of the turf. In tliis 

 one of the ideas of the " wild garden " — dotting bulbous flowers 

 through the grass — may be most effectively carried out. It is 

 scarcely necessary to state here that many of our fairest spring- 

 flowers are easily naturalised in grass. The surface of the 

 churchyard is often suitable for this, because the grass in it is 

 not mown so early or so primly as that in gardens. There are 

 usually in churchyards little variations in surface or soil whicli 

 favour the development of a variety of spring-flower life, and the 

 flowers are very welcome among the budding grass in spring. 

 The Scillas and Snowdrops do exceedingly w^ell in turf, and so 

 does the Apennine Anemone. It may be urged that the occasional 

 needful disturbance of the ground would interfere with these 

 plants, but once well established, they would not mind this in the 

 least. Groups of Daffodils of various kinds would look exceedingly 

 well in the turf ; perhaps they would require watching, but they 

 would repay it by their noble blossoms, which seem quite regard- 

 less of harsh weather in spring. 



In connection with this subject the state of our old London 

 cemeteries invites some notice. They could for the most part be 

 readily converted into oases of trees, and surely they ought to be 

 preserved for ever inviolate — if not as graveyards, yet as gardens. 

 In some places they have commenced rooting up the grave- 

 yards, not merely where the tunnelling power of a railway 

 company is brought to bear, but where the thing is done for mere 

 love of " improvement." Tombs and headstones are being cleared 

 out of the way and all obstructions removed, so that a level 

 surface may be obtained on which to set a few hundred ever- 

 greens, which have little more chance of flourishing in London 

 with its present atmosphere than if planted in the Salt Lake. To 



