THE MODERN CEMETERY. 
65 
similar plants spring up from self sown seed of the 
preceding winter and spring; and Pansies started in 
cold frames in August, as well as Calendulas, As- 
ters, etc., started in boxes in fall (to protect them 
from heavy rains) are set out for winter bloomers. 
Other similar work furnishes forth the decorative 
beds that are kept up in certain parts of the 
grounds throughout the twelve months by the cem- 
etery authorities. Then in' the spring, April or 
May, according to the season, these fading plants 
are replaced by those used for summer decorations, 
such as Hibiscus and Abutilons in variety, (these 
are wintered indoors). Geraniums, Coleus, Plum- 
bago, etc. The Plumbago is wintered where it 
stands as it dies down like any herbaceous plant 
during the colder months, and starts up in the 
spring. It is very handsome too. Most of the 
annuals used in northern gardens are in their prime 
in New Orleans in April or May. Beds of roses 
are left undisturbed year after year, the 
Tea’s being mostly used. They bloom 
well in spring, more or less throughout 
the summer, and again abundantly in 
the fall. The gardener at Me- 
tairie told me that Duchesse de 
Brabant (pink) 
was their best 
summer bloo- 
mer. Certain 
roses, notably 
Gen. Jacque- 
minot do not 
thrive in New 
Orleans, be- 
cause the wea- 
ther is never 
cold enough to 
induce the sea- 
son of complete rest required. John Hopper, how- 
ever, does well, as do Mrs. Laing, Baronesse 
Rothschild and Mabel Morrison; the latter being a 
pink rose in the far south instead of a white one as 
in the north. Their best white rose is a pillar 
climber, Celia Praedell; its flowers deepen to fream 
at the centre, and during the fall months are said 
to be as double as Camellias. 
There is a plant house in connection with the 
cemetery where stock is propagated and tender 
plants are given the winter protection they need. 
Cannas remain outside the year round, and bloom 
all the time except in January and February. 
Gladioli are also left undisturbed, and form clumps 
that astonish a northerner by their size, and also by 
the number of their big flower-laden spikes. The 
splendid Gardenia grandiflora (Cape Jasmine) are 
woody shrubs that are neither disturbed nor pro- 
ALBERT SIDNEY JOHNSTON STATUE, METAIRIE CEMETERY. 
tected in any way; they begin to bloom about the 
middle of May, and continue to flower during sum- 
mer. They are preceded by Gardenia Florida, 
which bears smaller flowers that open some two 
weeks earlier. Verbenas continue alive, growing 
and blooming throughout the year. Zinnias are 
counted among the summer bloomers, but Dahlias 
and Chrysanthemums flower in the fall. The lat- 
ter are left in the ground the year through, and are 
merely divided for increase. 
Enough has been said to demonstrate that the 
difference between northern and southern vegeta- 
tion and gardening is as marked as between the 
burial customs. In both directions the duties of 
cemetery superintendents would seem to be easier^ 
there than here. Mr. Scholz, the former superin- 
tendent of Metairie, who is highly spoken of by 
those who knew him, committed suicide in the fall 
of ’93, and has been succeeded by Mr. Frank Pon- 
jos. An important and interesting 
feature of the cemetery is seen just in- 
side the entrance — the Albert Sidney 
Johnston equestrian statue 
of bronze, which surmounts 
a grassy mound built over 
the catacombs of the Lou- 
isiana division 
of the Army of 
the Tennessee, 
(Confederat e . ) 
It is a handsome 
bronze, and is 
one, of the most 
prominent am- 
ong southern 
martial memor- 
ial statues. A 
lengthy epitaph 
seen inside the tomb is of great literary merit, and 
has a history. It was written on the battle field by 
a soldier just after he heard of the General’s death, 
and was found fastened to a board set up on the 
battle ground, by an officer who recognized its fine 
character; and when suggestions for a suitable epi- 
taph were called for, this effort was offered and ac- 
cepted. 
In the back part of the cemetery stands a cur- 
ious historic feature that might be called “the ‘res- 
tored tree.” It is an enormous Live Oak, the 
trunk of which was partly burned out during the 
war, but although so much of the life giving bark 
was destroyed the tree continued to live and thrive, 
and being so tenacious of life, such a fine specimen 
and so historically interesting, the hollow trunk was 
filled with concrete, (some brick being used too, I 
believe), until the original size and contour were 
