401 
PARK AND CEMETERY . 
Nevada-Cascades is a very high and un- 
dulating country of great aridity. It 
comprises Arizona, Nevada and parts 
of Utah, Oregon, Idaho and Washing- 
ton. No part of this vast tract is dense- 
ly settled, and its main support is de- 
rived from mining, grazing and lumber- 
ing. 
The tract between the Coast range 
and the Sierra-Nevada-Cascades is 
markedly differentiated not only from 
the area east of them but from the en- 
tire country. 
In Washington and Oregon the an- 
nual rainfall is a trifle less than at 
Boston or New York, but it is distrib- 
uted principally in the fall, winter and 
spring, and very lightly, hence seeming- 
ly more continuous than occurs on the 
eastern seaboard. For about four 
months in the summer there is daily 
sunshine and rarely rain, and if so, 
merehr a light sprinkle. While there are 
occasional snows they are not abundant 
and are dispelled soon after falling. 
The thermometer rarely descends to 
more than a comparatively few degrees 
of frost during the winter and ascends 
to about 90 as a maximum in summer. 
The nights are always cool enough to re- 
quire sleeping under blankets the year 
round. As a whole, the climate is mild 
and pleasing and the rainfall sufficient 
to obviate irrigation for farm crops 
during the summer. 
At Seattle the summer dry season ex- 
tends over a period of two or three 
months, at Portland three to four 
months, at San Francisco about eight 
months, and at Los Angeles about ten 
months, and in addition there is an in- 
creasing tendency toward semi-tropical 
seasons with the advancement south- 
ward, that is to say, the rains are heavier 
and more distinctly periodic and season- 
al in contrast to more equable distribu- 
tion over the year and more even fall 
during precipitation. 
As to latitude, bear in mind that 
Portland, Oregon, is farther north than 
St. Johns, New Brunswick, yet the vege- 
tation grown out of doors is perhaps 
nearest comparable to that at Biltmore, 
N. C. 
At San Francisco the latitude is about 
that of Washington, D. C., or, better 
still, Richmond, Va., and the possibili- 
ties of plant cultivation are more on a 
par with Florida. 
Los Angeles is in about the same lati- 
tude as Atlanta, but permits of an out- 
door growth comparable with Cuba, ex- 
cept as affected by aridity. 
In native vegetation the northwest has 
a predominance of fir (Pseudotsuga 
Douglasi), with some Thuya gigantea, 
Tsuga mertensiana, Abies concolor and 
some Cupressus Lawsoniana. All these 
grow to immense heights and girth, 
it being very common to see hun- 
dreds of thousands of acres of trees 
six to eight feet in diameter and ten and 
twelve feet are not rare. The heights 
are in proportion. 
In deciduous vegetation there are the 
Oregon maple (Acer macrophyllum). 
Western Dogwood (Cornus Nuttalli), 
Oregon White Oak (Quercus Garry- 
ana), Oregon Ash (Fraxinus Oregona), 
Alder (Alnus incana), besides the less 
desirable wild cherrjq vine maple (cir- 
cinatum) . 
Passing south from the northwest, the 
dry countr.v, that is, the region where 
irrigating is necessary to rear farm 
crops, is reached after passing the Ore- 
gon-California line in the mountains. 
In crossing the line the pome fruit 
section is left behind and wheat and 
alfalfa are more abundant. Nearer San 
Francisco the tender European grapes 
are grown. Fresno is known as the 
raisin city. Still further south no at- 
tempt is made to grow summer crops 
without the aid of water, hence ordi- 
nary farm crops are sown in the fall 
and harvested in spring. But it is to 
the foreign vegetation we would call at- 
tention. 
In a report on the improvement of 
San Francisco, following the investiga- 
tions and studies of Mr. D. H. Burn- 
ham, Mr. Phelan epitomized the transi- 
tory historical developments of the city 
and cited the late Frederick Law Olm- 
sted's opinion to the effect that land- 
scape development would necessarily be 
limited because of the absence of trees. 
Today virtually any tree can be reared 
sucessfully at San Francisco if water is 
furnished during- the summer. Mr. 
Olmsted was noted for his comprehen- 
sive survey of a problem and the ac- 
curate deduction he could draw there- 
from and use in devising masterpieces 
of landscape work. Mr. Phelan’s cita- 
tion was to illustrate how misleading 
to even so trained and erudite an obser- 
ver as Mr. Olmsted who went wholly 
astray in his calculations when Califor- 
nia is concerned. 
To one who visits the Pacific Coast 
for the first time today, their experi- 
ences are apt to be much like those of 
Mr. Olmsted. Califo rnia is a large state 
and cannot conveniently be classed hor- 
ticulturally with any other. It stretches 
from far north to well to the south, and 
from the warm sea coast back into the 
cold mountainous sections ; hence we will 
omit comment on the eastern portion, 
also the great San Joaquin valley. 
Reverting to San Francisco one is 
struck with the abundance of Australian 
plants used thereabouts, and especially 
strong are the evergreen veronicas. To 
enumerate a list of plants thriving there 
would almost be synon}?mous with cata- 
loguing the north temperate zone plants. 
But rich as is the Bay City, the prize 
must go to Los Angeles or, really, that 
section southwest of the San Bernardino 
mountains and comprising all of the 
southwest section of California between 
the mountains and the sea. 
There the sun is reported to shine 300 
days in the year, the climate is equable 
and mild and frost occurs only rarely in 
the low valleys. Oranges, lemons, lima 
beans and truck farming are among the 
principal products of that section. 
The exotic vegetation is much more 
extensive in range than holds at San 
Francisco, but the Australian aspect is 
even more marked though here it is more 
abundantly represented by the liberal- 
ity of Eucalyptus and Acacias grown. 
Perhaps a good idea may be given by 
citing some of the plants cultivated out 
of doors and noting that glass houses 
are used only for plants requiring hot- 
house temperatures. 
PALMS. 
Cocos is quite common — plumosus 
most preferred; Braheas, coryphas, 
Erytheas, Jubseas, Latanias and Cham- 
serops thrive well ; Kentias and Seaforthia 
prefer some shade and very common and 
tough is the so-called California palm, 
Washingtonia robusta. A common and 
excellent palm used rather freely, both 
as a lawn and curb tree, is Phoenix. 
In the east some favor is shown for 
golden, red or variegated leaved plants 
for lawn decoration. At Los Angeles 
that appetite is satisfied in the palm line 
by Erythea Brandegei for blue and Liv- 
istona Mariae for red. 
The Sabal palmetto of southeastern 
LTnited States thrives in comparatively 
sterile soil. 
Dracaenas are represented in lawns 
with not uncommon frequency by D. 
draco, at times, twenty or more feet in 
height. Indivisia, australis, amabilis, 
Guilfoyli and the like are hardy enough 
but not common. 
Among bamboos and grasses the 
Bambusa nana variegata is used as a 
hedge plant ; others are usually planted 
near water or even in sub-tropical beds 
along with Gynerium argenteum, cyper- 
us alternifolius, Arundo donax and the 
like. The latter has escaped from cul- 
tivation and may be seen occasionally 
near water courses as may also the cas- 
tor bean and lo ! that irrepressible 
Jimson weed — Datura Stramonium. 
Agaves, Cereus, Phylocactus, Alma 
Ioniums, Aloes, Beaucarneas, Fourcroyas, 
(Continued on Page JX) 
