PARK AND CEM ETER Y. 
506 
“3'ello\v jaundice" develops, and the 
dandy is blamed. Besides fashionable 
lawns, there are two other situations 
where the dandy multiplies rapidly, 
which means they are situations equal- 
ly discouraging to grass. They are 
over-fed pastures and graded ground 
where the top soil has been removed 
and the natural conservation of mois- 
ture destroyed, more briefly called 
"city improvements.” 
Nature never made two plants adapted 
to precisely the same conditions. To 
cultivate a plant is to give the physical 
conditions with environment influences 
most suitable to its nature. If you suc- 
ceed, no other plant can thrive under 
the same influences. 
The first bandage applied to wounds 
inflicted by the grading contractor, is 
usuall}' .a covering of white clover. The 
physical conditions, however, are fre- 
quently so variable, even in a small are^, 
that the surface becomes mottled by 
other plants (weeds) co-operating, like 
a patched quilt, each variety selecting 
the portions which the others are unable 
to cover. The dandelion is perhaps the 
staunchest of these pioneers in prepar- 
ing conditions for a succeeding growth. 
The grass is naturally its usual or most 
frequent successor, but, by the persis- 
tant interference of our caretakers the 
dandelion never finishes his efforts. 
By a careful look at the dandelion, 
you can tell it has a tap root because 
it turns the water to its center (the 
foliage of any plant always directs water 
to where the working roots should be). 
He spreads the leaves out in a rosette 
form and close together. He finds no 
interference on a fashionable lawn in 
placing them so nicely as to receive a 
maximum of light and keep the soil sur- 
face dry, all the water sliding down the 
tap root so deep as to be absorbed by 
the subsoil which holds it sponge-like 
to be drawn from when the supply from 
above may be deficient. With this con- 
servation of moisture, and light afforded 
by close clipping of the grass, he keeps 
boring holes, and will continue to do so 
until this aeration of the ground by this 
hole boring process is utilized by a suc- 
cessor. 
The grass has a creeping stem we call 
a “rizome.” The foliage (blades) turn 
up, while the roots turn down. There 
are usually about five blades to a plant, 
three standing up in their prime, two 
dying off at the back of stem and a 
fresh one budding out at the terminal 
of the stem. These creeping stems in- 
tertwine weaving a mat we call “sod.” 
The blades constitute the stomach and 
lungs of the plant where the material 
for the newer growth is elaborated from 
the sap rising from the roots, under 
the influence of light. If these three 
developed blades are cut off too low, 
the amount of building sap for the new 
blades will be .deficient, and when the 
new blades are cut likewise, the next 
generation becomes still more impover- 
ished, just as child labor is causing de- 
generacy of mankind. 
The lawn sprinkler is used, but the 
roots are bared, the surface dries by 
rapid evaporation, there being no con- 
servation by shading, the constant 
sprinkling of the bare floor hardens the 
surface so the grass in its impoverished 
or physically deteriorated condition is 
forced on top and scarcely maintains a 
grasp for assimilation. 
If the grass is allowed to grow long 
enough to develop its own "progeny" 
the dandy is obliged to turn up its 
foliage in order to get light, and in do- 
ing so he spills the water, the near by 
grass gets it and the tap root goes dry, 
the grass then encroaches on the dand}- 
There is no better time in the year 
in which to study and prepare pro- 
grams for the coming summer con- 
ventions than just now. The season 
allows opportunity for the careful 
consideration of the essential require- 
ments for successful meetings, leaving 
the details to be taken up as they of- 
fer themselves with little to interfere 
with their proper handling. It is also 
probably the time when those who 
propose, or are called upon to read 
papers have opportunities to give 
their subjects the necessary study and 
preparation which the more busy sea- 
sons will not permit. Some valu- 
able suggestions were sent to the 
President and Secretary of the As- 
sociation of American Cemetery Su- 
perintendents before the last meeting 
at Kansas City, of which the program 
committee for the New York conven- 
tion will undoubtedly make good use. 
There is a decidedly growing demand 
for more business and less pleasure 
in the proceedings. Furthermore, 
considering that progress in cemetery 
work has made extraordinary ad- 
vances, some attention should be giv- 
en, looking to tlTe education, if the 
term might be used as a suggestion, 
of members who are young in mem- 
bership and who have not had the 
advantages of following the practical 
work of the modern cemetery in all 
its details. This can be done by re- 
viving old discussions on practical 
subjects, or by the use of the "Ques- 
tion Box,” if properly managed and 
and when the scythe comes he loses his 
leaves and suffers a loss greater than 
the grass. If you want to cut the grass 
often enough to preserve the green col- 
or, use a scythe and develop some skill. 
Do not cut it so close. Leave at least 
three inches of blade and throw the 
lawn mower on the scrap heap. Make 
some sweet scented, delicious hay. On 
all elevations- where there is danger of 
erosion during rain storms, give it a. 
top dressing in fall with some of the 
hay, and allow the last autumn growth 
to grow long. Nothing protects the 
roots of grass quite so well as its own 
foliage. Save all your autumn leaves, 
after they have decayed into "leaf 
mould" spread this on your lawn. Do 
not waste time iighfing the dandelion, 
just study and encourage that which 
you have a desire for, and "pests,” so 
called, will not bother you. 
Mihmtikcc. C. B. Whitnall. 
with due time given for its develop- 
ment. Marked success has attended 
the "Question Box” part of the pro- 
gram of some associations when a 
competent leader has charge of it, and 
such a leader should always be pro- 
vided. Probably by this means, and 
in many instances, more valuable in- 
formation has relatively been gained 
by those who want to know than is 
lo be obtained through the reading of 
special papers. Another important 
matter: there is no question but that 
the country cemetery has suffered ac- 
tual neglect- in the convention pro- 
grams, and at least one paper on their 
management and care should be pre- 
sented, and discussion should be cor- 
dially pushed and encouraged. The A. 
A. C. S. should do more in this direc- 
tion for it would tend to more effect- 
ually appeal to the cemeteries in 
smaller places and induce better rep- 
resentation from such localities in 
the membership, and while such di- 
version in favor of less important bur- 
ial grounds may not interest the men 
connected with the large city ceme- 
teries, the association would mereb' 
be doing its duty, would enhance the 
value of its conventions to its mem- 
bers from smaller places, enlarge its 
membership, and correspondingly in- 
crease the usefulness of the Asso- 
ciation. These are one or two im- 
portant suggestions that should be 
given careful attention and, as was 
stated above, now is a good time to 
work them up for the next conven- 
tion. 
PLANNING ASSOCIATION WORK 
