78 
THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
ground. For cemetery work nothing looks worse than a bed 
containing a mixture of tall-growing plants, such as dahlias, 
lillies, salvia, chrysanthemums, hollyhocks and others too numer- 
ous to enumerate. Pretty effects can be obtained with dwarf- 
growing plants, especially when massed, and they are not visible 
from a distance, therefore their appearance is not so striking, nor 
is the appearance of the lawn so broken as by their taller 
brethren. 
In cemeteries where flower growing is encouraged a spirit of 
emulation soon creeps in, and lot-owners try to outvie each 
other in their efloits to have their lots look nice, to the great joy 
of the florist, who acquiesces in the good work (?) and soon the 
lawns are covered with all manner of designs, regardless of the 
surroundings, till ofttimes the whole resembles a wild garden in 
its profusion of bright colored blooms. These beds soon become 
dried and withered blotches in the landscape, especially during 
the heat of summer, unless kept well watered each day, meaning 
more joy for the florist, who, of course, has to be paid additional 
for watering. 
THIRD DAY. 
Inclement weather again interfered with the pro- 
gram, necessitating a postponement of the proposed 
trip to St. Paul. 
A paper on Vaults by George W. Creesy of 
Salem, Mass., was read by Mr. Stone. The paper 
dealt with the subject from a sanitary point ofview. 
After discussing the subject it was 
Resolved: That it is the sense of this meeting that vaults 
and catacombs be discouraged and if possible prohibited in cem- 
eteries. 
A paper on the “Removal of Bodies,” by F. 
Von Holdt of Colorado was read by the secretary. 
Mr. Walbridge, who is interested in Woodlawn 
Cemetery, Toledo, addressed the convention from a 
layman’s point of view. He regarded the work of 
the cemeteries of this country in the light of a pub- 
lic trust, in the fulfilling of which the greatest care 
and caution should be taken. Mr. Walbridge illus- 
trated the different attitudes of lot-owners and cem- 
etery officials by relating an anecdote that was re- 
ceived with applause. Two brothers, children of 
Israel, were negotiating a loan. When the papers 
were drawn up, the loan was seen to draw interest 
at 9%. “Oh, Jakey,” said the borrower, “what 
would our parents think if they knew that you 
charged your brother 9% interest?” “Oh, that’s all 
right,’’ exclaimed the other, “they is up there,” 
pointing heavenward, “and they are looking down 
and this is 6% for them.” 
Richmond and Philadelphia were nominated as 
the place of holding the next annual convention, and 
* although Mr. Hooper of the former city had sent a 
most cordial invitation to visit the Old Dominion, 
it was decided to go to Philadelphia. 
A motion in favor of establishing local or state 
associations was lost. 
The officers for the past year were unanimously 
re-elected. They are as follows; President, Wm. 
Salway, Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, O.; 
vice-president, T. McCarthy, Swan Point Cemetery, 
Providence, R. I.; secretary and treasurer, P'. Eu- 
rich, Woodlawn Cemetery, Toledo, O. The execu- 
tive committee for the ensuing year consists of Geo. 
E. Rhedemeyer, Harleigh Cemetery, Camden, N. 
J.; Geo. M. Painter, West Laurel Hill, Philadel- 
phia; Wm. B. Walker, Woodlands, Philadelphia, 
and Geo. W. Creesy, Harmony Grove, Salem, Mass. 
An interesting and very comprehensive paper 
on “ Hardy Shrubs and Their Protection against 
Drouth,” was read by Prof. Sami. B. Green of the 
state experimental farm at St. Anthony. 
In the afternoon the party visited Minnehaha 
Park, where they saw the falls made famous by the 
immortal Longfellow; the soldiers’ home and other 
points of interest. 
FOURTH DAY. 
The fourth and last day of the convention was 
devoted exclusively to St. Paul and was spent in a 
most enjoyable manner. The interurban electric 
system conveyed the party from Minneapolis to the 
city office of the Oakland Cemetery at St. Paul, 
where they had been invited to assemble as the 
guests of the trustees of Oakland. Here carriages 
were in waiting to show the visitors the sights of 
the city. Oakland was reached after a pleasant 
drive, where Superintendent Boxell and Secretary 
Willis escorted the party through the grounds. The 
cemetery was established in 1853 and comprises 
about eighty acres of undulating land. Since 1873 
it has been conducted on the lawn plan and the im- 
provements since that time have been of a most 
substantial nature. The receiving tomb and chapel 
is an imposing structure, standing on one of the 
highest points. It is built of a grayish stone and is 
nearly covered with vines. The chapel is a large 
square room connected with conservatories on three 
sides filled with flowers. A catafalque in the center 
of the chapel is used to lower bodies into the tomb, 
which has a capacity of nearly five hundred caskets. 
Resuming the carriages the drive was continued to 
Como Park through the beautiful residence portions 
of the city and terminating at the Hotel Aberdeen, 
where dinner was served. After dinner the closing 
session was held at which an address was made by 
Mr. Charles Nichols, a trustee of Oakland. Mr. 
Nichols referred in a humorous vein to the similar- 
ity between his name and that of the father of the 
association and concluded his interesting address as 
follows: 
“It has been my fortune to have held the position of trustee 
in Oakland Cemetery at St. Paul for very nearly a quarter of a 
century. It has been a labor of love, and not one of pecuniary 
compensation. Of all trusts there are none more sacred; and 
none but those who are impressed with the sacredness and re- 
sponsibility of this trust are wholly fitted for trusteeship. No 
greater responsibility rests upon the trustees than the selection 
