PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING 
Vol. XVII Chicago, October, 1907 No. 8 
National Flowers and Flower Shows 
The National Flower Association of the United States, an 
incorporated organization, is renewing the movement to bring 
about the adoption of a national flower, and is encouraging 
a vigorous campaign to attain this end. The Society of 
American Florists is also undertaking an excellent work. 
At its recent Philadelphia meeting considerable attention was 
given to the matter of a national flower show which may be 
expected to be held in the fall of 1908. With the backing of 
so influential and successful a national organization, such a 
show is sure to be a success in attaining the objects sought, 
one of the chief of which is to bring to notice deserving nov- 
elties and rare plants, and medals or certificates will be 
awarded. An annual national flower show would result in 
wider public interest in flowers and plants, besides accom- 
plishing a great educational benefit. 
The Joint Convention of the American Civic Association 
and National Municipal League 
The third annual meeting of the American Civic Associa- 
tion is to be held in Providence, R. I., November 19-22, in 
conjunction with the National Municipal League. Rhode 
Island's invitation to these associations was so broad and 
attractive that we shall expect the coming convention to 
reciprocate by being a record-breaking meeting, and one that 
makes a further stride in the great works of improvement 
that the associations have been encouraging and assisting. 
Every member of the association should feel inspired to 
attend, if possible, for a large gathering is always conducive 
to better work, more conclusive discussions, and to a more 
decided and progressive spirit. While at time of writing no 
set program has come to hand, it is quite certain that, with 
its numerous departments, the A, C, A, will provide work 
for the convention that will afford ample entertainment for 
all those participating in the proceedings; and the National 
Municipal League has done so much to bring about good city 
government, and has in its membership so many active prom- 
inent men, that the two associations meeting together will 
surely result in directing a more intense public interest to 
their efforts. Plans for the extension of the campaign 
against billboards will be one of the important subjects to 
be discussed at the meeting. The association is now col- 
lecting data as to how visitors to Niagara are affected by the 
huge advertising signs about the falls and will have some 
interesting matter on this point to report. It is to be hoped 
that there will be a very large attendance. 
' The Niagara Falls Campaign 
The vast amount of labor bestowed upon the cause of the 
preservation of Niagara Falls by the American Civic Asso- 
ciation can hardly be realized without studying the compre- 
hensive report of the work so far accomplished, and which 
forms the chief matter of the August “Chautauquan.” Apart 
from the official hearings before Secretary Taft, which, by 
the way, eminently displayed the logic of commercialism, a 
most interesting feature of the work was the arousing of 
public interest which resulted in the War Secretary being 
overwhelmed with communications from all parts of the coun- 
try urging him to save the Falls. The unanimity of senti- 
ment was remarkable, and it came in largely from the solid 
citizenship of the country, with no uncertain ring in the de- 
mand. ■ It is not to be assumed, however, that the Falls are 
as yet safe from the assaults of commercial interests, so that 
it is necessary to maintain an alertness until pending negotia- 
tions between Canada and the LTnited States are completed, 
and positive limitations peremptorily imposed upon the power 
companies that they will be bound to implicitly obey. Cor- 
porate wealth has come to have such far-reaching possibili- 
ties and corporation lawyers such wonderfully elastic con- 
, sciences, that practically nothing is safe until the government 
itself controls the situation. The American Civic Associa- 
tion should be warmly seconded and assisted in every neces- 
sary manner so that it may continue its campaign for the 
rights of the people in our wonderful cataract of Niagara. 
NS Ng Ng 
Technical Secondary Education 
The Hon. Charles Davis, of Minnesota, introduced a bill 
in last Congress to meet the needs of a large class of our 
citizens who want education of a grade higher than that of 
our primary schools. The bill therefore contemplates build- 
ing up a large number of people trained in courses combin- 
ing industrial and general education, and should it pass, is 
expected to promote higher standards of scholarship and of 
a more practical bearing. An appropriation is asked to assist 
the States in the work, which also might encourage them to 
make larger appropriations themselves for the practical and 
general phase of the public school system. The particular 
reason for the appropriation is that the Federal government 
can initiate in every district in each state popular education 
relating to the industries and home making. The bill is, 
in a sense, a supplement to the many acts passed since 1862 
in the great cause of national education. 
-sg 
Some Wholesome Criticism 
As a people we are inclined to resent criticism, due per- 
haps to. the marvelous size and resources of the country 
having developed a conceit which leaves us blind to pos- 
sibly better methods and conditions existing in other civil- 
ized countries. For instance, we are quite prone to regard 
our park systems and manner of controlling and maintaining 
them unexcelled anywhere else on the globe ; but from inter- 
views with Mr, Vacherot, chief gardener of the city of Paris. 
France, who is now visiting this country, we may understand 
why Paris, so far as outdoor improvements go, holds the 
palm for beauty among the cities of the world, and we may 
easily take lessons from the Paris park authorities. In that 
city the freshness of the verdure attracts much attention as 
well as the health, beauty, and vigor of the trees ; to attain 
this every tree is carefully watched and tended and the hose 
is kept pretty generally in use during dry spells. Further- 
more, the soil of the Paris parks and boulevards never has 
the barren and worn-out look that characterizes even portions 
of our most noted parks. No expense, either of labor or 
money, is spared to keep up fertility in the soil, and conse- 
quently there is always that garden-like appearance so re- 
freshing and healthful to those to whom the park is indeed 
a recreation spot. The suggestions conveyed in Mr. Vach- 
erot’s remarks emphasizes the idea which should be constantly 
in the minds of our park makers and keepers, that the actual 
establishment of a park does not by any means complete their 
duty. Maintenance in a constantly improving ratio is, after 
all, perhaps as important as their creation. 
