CEMETERIES AND TARKS. 103 



no charge being made, and the same privilege is extended in the 

 winter to skaters ; the lake being cleaned at the expense of the 

 Board, The lake house and refectorj' are rented with the privi- 

 lege of restaurant and boat-letting. 



I am sorry I have no photographic views assimilated in our 

 illustrated report to send you, but although proud of the park, the 

 Board has not gone to that expense as yet. 

 Yours sincerely, 



Wm. S. Egerton, 

 Superintendent and Secretary of Washington Park. 



This exceedingly interesting letter sets forth in a plain and clear 

 manner the reasons that prompted the Board of Park Commission- 

 ers to plan so liberally and successfully for the pleasure of the 

 citizens of Albany. "When we saw the flower beds in September 

 they were in the height of perfection, and so well designed and 

 properh' located that even the hurried glance, which was all that 

 our time allowed us, called forth our admiration. Not only the 

 •flowers, but the shrubs were such fine specimens that it was a great 

 pleasure to us to see them. In the grouping they were not the 

 huddled mass usually found in such places, but planted far enough 

 apart to allow each one to become a perfect specimen of itself, 

 yet not so far distant from each other that the intended effect was 

 lost. Of course, if one wishes to criticise he can find the oppor- 

 tunity, but having learned the object desired and seen that it had 

 been accomplished, I think criticism is not in order. If we see a 

 good thing we should say so, and encourage the producer. If we 

 do not approve we should be equally frank in saying so, but let us 

 be sure to have a good reason for what we say. We thought we 

 saw a good thing in the Albany Park, and it is a pleasure to report 

 so to you. The Albany Press of June 30th, contained the follow- 

 ing very interesting account of this park : 



" The pleasure derived from viewing foliage and flowering plants, 

 well arranged and properly placed, seems almost universal. There 

 are a few persons whose distaste for a blaze of color, and dislike of 

 any formal arrangement would lead them back to the days of the 

 old perennial garden of our forefathers, where everything seemed 

 to grow in profusion, in great variety of tints and diversity of 

 form, and without any apparent care-taking supervision. This 

 old-fa^ioned garden is becoming again the fashion, from the 

 fact that formal ribbon borders, Persian or geometrical designs. 



