OBJECT LESSONS IN CITY PARKS. 



Fig. 1515.— 



drinking fountain made as a natural 

 spring are in the line of improvements 

 that are permissable. Everything done 

 to improve it shows as little as possible 

 the effect of man's handiwork. 



In grounds where the scenery is 

 artificial, that made by man, another 

 condition exists. Flower beds may 

 abound ; banks of flowering shrubs may 

 fringe groups of ornamental trees • 

 drinking fountains of artistic designs 

 may be introduced, as may also a small 

 lake or pond, fringed with ornamental 

 grasses and filled with subtropical water 

 plants. The lawn should be well 

 clipped ; the edges of the walks and 

 drives properly edged, and everything 

 here should show the careful attention 

 of man. This picture is the opposite of 

 the previous one. The careful per- 

 formance of the work in the latter is as 

 necessary as the rigid exclusion of it in 

 the former. It is the proper under- 

 standing and carrying out of the details 

 of these pictures that gives the park its 

 character. 



The picnic-grounds and play grounds 

 are localities that occupy a medium 

 place between the two previously pic- 



tured. There must be abundant shade 

 and a fairly good lawn, also tables, seats 

 and drinking fountains sufficient for the 

 needs. 



A year ago, our Park Board placed in 

 the picnic-ground a number of wire 

 baskets for refuse paper. They are 

 about three feet high and twenty inches 

 in diameter. On one side, they are 

 concave, so they will fit against a tree to 

 which they are locked by a chain. 

 These baskets may not have been in 

 proper keeping with good landscape 

 effect, but they are far better than hav- 

 ing the discharged lunch parcels scat- 

 tered over the lawn. When I state that 

 from six to eight cords of picnic refuse 

 is gathered after a big picnic day, it can 

 be seen that these baskets are very valu- 

 able in keeping the lawns free from un- 

 sightly litter. 



Parks that attract large crowds must 

 be well supplied with drinking foun- 

 tains. These should be of such design 

 as will harmonize with their surround- 

 ings. We are discarding the cast iron 

 affairs and are using field stone. 



The horse drinking fountains should 

 be high enough so that the horse can 

 drink without unchecking. It is unac- 

 countable why this is not more often 

 done. 



In no one thing can parks ±>e better 

 object lessons in good taste than in the 

 location and construction of its walks 

 and drives. The principal ones must 

 be of a nature that they are in good 

 condition at all times to be in keeping 

 with park surroundings ; they should be 

 of gravel or crushed stone. The latter, 

 more commonly known as macadam 

 roadways, is the kind that best fills the 

 requirements, as it is comparatively free 

 from mud in wet weather and the dust 

 is kept to the minimum with a small 

 amount of sprinkling during droughts. 



In this day of good road agitation, 

 45 



