383 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
forgotten or misunderstood by some of our 
new members. The first is that we are an 
educational body, for ourselves individually, 
and collectively, and also for those with 
whom we have to deal, such as lot owners, 
boards of trustees or those who control the 
management of cemeteries in this country. 
Our conventions are schools and we are the 
pupils, and though the older members some- 
times have to take the part of teachers for 
the . newer members, we can all learn from 
one another. 
Some persons may think that coming to 
the convention is a chance for a vacation 
or an amusement outing, but the business 
superintendent thinks otherwise; to him it is 
a business trip for education only. For this 
reason we visit cemeteries, nurseries, parks 
and public grounds. 
The second point I wish to emphasize is 
the necessity of judicious planting of trees 
and shrubs in our grounds. Horticulture is 
one of the most important and extensive 
subjects that enter into the studies of a 
cemetery superintendent, and though it has 
often been touched upon by several of my 
predecessors, I often think it does not get 
the attention it deserves in some of our 
cemeteries. I have seen some of our ceme- 
teries present the appearance of a stone yard, 
even some of the most important ones. 
This might be avoided if due attention was 
paid to interplanting with ornamental trees 
and shrubs, judiciously placed. Perhaps one 
of the most important factors in this work 
is to be found in the various shades and 
sizes of evergreens. At some of our earlier 
conventions I have heard the evergreen 
condemned. I saw this was a mistake, and 
was the result of the careless, promiscuous 
and uneducated use of evergreen planting. 
The best plan of using evergreens is to 
group them like shrubbery groups, with 
carefully assorted plants of different shades 
and sizes and planted so as to imitate the 
pyramidal or' cone form. The use of the 
low dwarf kind for borders is also to be 
recommended. The occasional use of the 
beautiful magnolias will be found to be an 
important agent in interplan.ting and chang- 
ing the grave yard into a park-like ceme- 
tery. 
It is not my intention to go into the de- 
tails of the landscape artist’s work, as the 
planting I have in view is entirely within 
the scope of the superintendent. There are 
few cemeteries that have been in use for 
thirty years or more that do not present 
some unsightly objects. To avoid this un- 
seemly appearance planting of shrubs, trees, 
vines or anything that will produce a good 
bank of foliage during the summer months 
is the best and most agreeable form of pre- 
ventative; more permanent effects for this 
purpose can be produced by the use of the 
small growing evergreens. The everj'day ob- 
server of these defects becomes accustomed 
to them, considers them fixtures and perhaps 
not so detrimental to the appearance after 
all, but such objects immediately catch the 
eye of the stranger or visitor, , particularly of 
men in our line of business. As the objects 
to be concealed may vary in dimensions as 
to height, etc., consequently the planting 
should be done with material that, when 
fully grown, will answer the purpose for 
which it was intended. 
Owing to the great climatic (difference in 
the location of the grounds in odr charge, a 
list of shrubs and evergreens might prove 
misleading, and as every superintendent is 
the best judge of what will succeed in his 
locality and soil, a list from other locations 
would be of no practical benefit, yet, it seems 
to me. it would be interesting and instructive 
if at future conventions, each local superin- 
tendent would furnish a list of the hardy 
ornamentals in his grounds, and at the 
proper time I would be pleased if this sug- 
gestion is acted upon. 
Amongst the new inventions and enter- 
prises that have sprung up in connection 
with cemeteries, and the burial of the dead, 
is the community mausoleum, which before 
being approved of, should, in my opinion, 
have careful consideration. Another is the 
trolley funeral car, which has proved to be 
unsatisfactory for many reasons, as they 
cannot be brought to the residence, the 
church, nor enter the cemetery. The auto- 
mobile funeral car can and does meet all 
requirements, and is likely to come into 
general use in the near future. 
Cemetery superintendents do not jump at 
conclusions. New inventions and enterprises, 
in regard to cemetery matters, will always 
receive due consideration before being ap- 
proved of or rejected. When our meetings 
are being held is the proper time for the 
discussion of such matters. The superin- 
tendent of today, when called upon, cannot 
be excused for not furnishing practical 
papers for our conventions. 'The rapid 
change in conditions alone would furnish 
ample material for short Instructive papers. 
At our meetings of twenty or more years 
ago, there were at least six papers read, 
each of them of an instructive and inter- 
esting nature touching upon the laying out 
of new, or remodeling of old cemeteries. 
The fact that such papers were to be read 
was a great incentive to attend. 
I feel confident that the perpetuation of 
our association depends a great deal on the 
information to be obtained in attending 
conventions, and such information is fur- 
nished by the papers read, and the dis- 
cussion of the same. How can we expect 
our trustees or directors to pay our expenses 
whilst attending conventions, unless some- 
thing beneficiial to our cemeteries is gained 
by it? 
I believe that progress in cemetery de- 
velopment and management has kept well 
abreast with advancement in other lines of 
business, and it cannot be denied that the 
good influence for practical advancement is 
due to the good work of our association 
during the twenty-four years of its exist- 
ence. Let us, therefore, go back to the old 
custom of having plenty of papers on. prac- 
tical cemetery work, and I am confident 
that increase in membership and greater in- 
terest in our /meetings will be the happy 
result. 
Secretary-Treasurer Frank Eurich’s 
annual report showed an enrollment 
of 234 active and 2 honorary mem- 
bers. Three members were removed 
by death during the year, two active, 
L. B. Root, Kansas City, Mo.; W. T. 
Lockwood, Tarrytown, N. Y., and 
one honorary, F. W. Higgins, De- 
troit, Mich. The secretary suggested 
the wisdom of admitting as associate 
members, persons whose work is cal- 
culated to advance the interests and 
elevate the character of cemeteries. 
The finances of the association were 
reported to be in a satisfactory con- 
dition with a balance in the treasury 
of $276.11. Fifteen new members were 
admitted at the Chattanooga meet- 
ing, making the present membership 
251. 
Community mausoleums were brief- 
ly discussed. After some adverse 
criticisms, J. S. Medary, president of 
Oak Grove Cemetery, LaCrosse, 
Wis,. said that cemetery had con- 
tracted for one of these mausoleums 
after a personal investigation of sev- 
eral of the structures in cities in 
Illinois and the methods of the com- 
pany controlling the patents. At a 
subsequent session Mr. L. L. H. Aus- 
tin, representing the International 
Mausoleum Company, owners of pat- 
ents covering the construction of 
community mausoleums, was given 
an opportunity to tell the convention 
more about the methods of his com- 
pany and the construction of the 
MOCCASIN BEND PROM LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN. 
