ORNAMENTAL GARDENS. 47 



from pleasing in their architecture, and the barreness of the school 

 grounds is depressing. In many cases the building is situated on the 

 cheapest land available, and the soil is consequently of the poorest 

 quality. In such instances it is possible to remove sufficient soil 

 from around the base of the building so that vines may be used to 

 hide its deficiencies. By a careful selection of species it is possible 

 also to adapt to their environment the shrubs planted in the school 

 yard. 



In our country cemeteries we see much that is depressing. The 

 grass is too frequently unmown, the graves are conspicuous because 

 of the mounds, the planting of trees and shrubs, if there be such, is 

 somber and unharmonious, because of individual selection. In 

 towns where more careful attention is given cemetery management, 

 the care is given to a superintendent whose business it is to see that 

 the cemetery is developed in a park-like manner; no mounds mar 

 the lawn; the somber aspect is lost because of care in selecting and 

 planting trees and shrubs of lighter foliage and more cheerful aspect; 

 harmony is secured because individual owners of lots are not allowed 

 to plant trees or shrubs, the selection of species and the grouping 

 being left to the cemetery superintendent. 



If there be one place more than another where the planting should 

 be bright, attractive, and cheery, it should be in our gardens of the 

 dead. 



New England prides herself upon her beautiful street trees. The 

 towns of the Middle West and South suffer much by comparison in 

 this respect. Our settlements are older and our valuable trees have 

 had an opportunity to develop in a marked degree. They should 

 be preserved from the ravages of fungus diseases and insect pests; 

 but in many cases this is not being done, and we are witnessing the 

 destroying of many of the fine old specimens. All the character- 

 istics valued in the street tree are to be found in our American elm. 

 High headed, with a tendency to overarch the street, traffic is not 

 interfered with; open headed, it allows a good circulation of air 

 through the street; naturally long lived, it attains magnificent 

 dimensions; and everything considered, it is an ideal street tree for 

 New England towns. But the ravages of the elm-leaf beetle have 

 already threatened its destruction, and the town and the city foresters 

 are planting hardier species. The sugar maple is a pleasing street 



