PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Vol. XX Chicago, December, 1910 No. 10 
Grave Decorations in the National Cemeteries 
The War Department authorities have undertaken to 
abolish all grave decorations in the national cemeteries 
and new regulations have been established. The order 
prohibits the placing of vases, tubs, urns or other so-called 
decorative fixtures, as well as chairs, settees, etc., on or 
about the graves. It is also required that plants on the 
burial lots shall be removed, the decorations being limited 
to wreaths and cut-flowers. Unfortunately, all depart- 
mental government reforms of this class have a more or 
less ruthless method of procedure, and while it has to be 
admitted that the reform instituted is a good one, worthy 
of application to a greater or less extent in all cemeteries, 
it goes too far when the tearing out of the ivy from 
about the graves and lots is included in the “clean-up.” 
The ivy with its associations and clinging beauty is a source 
of comfort and loving care to so many mourners, and, 
moreover, with but few objectionable features, might very 
well be withdrawn from the new order. In commenting 
on an appeal for the ivy, and, by the way, the case ap- 
pears to have been brought to the attention of the 
President, a newspaper concludes, and with which we 
cordially agree, that; “There may be some reason for 
adhering tenaciously to a practice which carries out the 
military traditions of uniformity, and it is readily appre- 
ciated that, without restrictions placed upon cemetery 
decorations, there may be all sorts of liberties' taken with 
the privilege. But it really does not seem as if there was 
any very good reason from an artistic, economical or 
sentimental point of view for destroying the ivy, which is 
of a type of verdure that lends itself admirably to the sim- 
plicity of cemetery decoration.” 
The Vermont Christmas Tree Tax 
There is a bill pending in the Vermont state legislature 
to impose a tax of twenty-five cents on every Christmas 
tree taken out of Vermont. The purpose of the bill is, 
on the face of it, to protect the little cone-bearing trees 
and allow them to become, in due time, valuable timber. 
The motive of the bill is good, but it seems to go wide 
of the mark, because authorities' assert that the little 
conifers which are preferred for Christmas tree purposes 
never grow up into good lumber. To serve its best pur- 
pose a Christmas tree must be branched from top to butt, 
and to grow in this way requires that the little tree have 
plenty of room; hence they are more or less scattered, 
whereas good timber trees grow thickly, and reaching up 
for light, the lower branches die off before big knots can 
be made in the main trunks. In commenting upon the 
matter the New York “Times” says that it would do 
little or nothing toward extending the area of the state’s 
forest land, and would irritate those who might suffer 
from its application, and so would tend “to perpetuate the 
old prejudice against forest preservation as sentimental 
and unpractical.” The latter argument, however, does not 
call for particular consideration, because other enlightened 
nations, through practical experience, have learned more 
about practical forestry than we have, and are making it 
a paying proposition, thereby associating sentiment with 
profit for the benefit of the community. 
The School House as a Neighborhood Center 
There is a growing sentiment towards extending the 
usefulness of the school house, which ordinarily is unoc- 
cupied three months or more of the year. In many 
places this has been done to great advantage, but as some 
one has expressed it, “our school houses should be used 
for everything possible that will tend to raise the moral, 
physical, mental and social standing of the community.” 
Coming directly to the point, in the light of present pro- 
gressive ideas, the school house might be very properly 
equipped with every facility to promote the growth, intel- 
lectually and physically, of the young; there should be 
adequate means for both outdoor and indoor exercise, and 
there certainly should be a reading room, library and lec- 
ture hall in every important school building in the coun- 
try. It goes without saying that the grounds should be 
improved and maintained in attractive condition. With 
such facilities the ordinary school house would become 
an attractive center for both old and young, and would 
encourage a useful sociability to the uplifting of all par- 
ticipating. 
Woman’s Clubs and the “Home Beautiful” 
The Chicago Woman’s Club has organized the first 
class in landscape gardening in the State of Illinois, out- 
side the University of Illinois. This is in connection with 
its home department, working for the “Home Beautiful.” 
Meetings are held on the second IMonday of each month 
in the Club parlors, and the following are the topics and 
lecturers announced for the next four months: January 
9, “Arrangement,” by Mr. Jens Jensen; February 13, 
“Planting,” by Mr. O. C. Simonds; March 13, “Don’ts,” 
by Mr. W. N. Rudd, and April 10, “Color Harmony,” by 
Mrs. Annette McCrea. This is an interesting departure 
for the Woman’s Club, but one that^ should be of a very 
promising tendency. The speakers named above guaran- 
tee that the topics will be treated broadly and authori- 
tatively, and a better understanding will surely be gained 
by the participants of the essential elements of landscape 
gardening as they may be applied in the direction of cre- 
ating a “home beautiful.” 
Providing for the Future 
Grand Rapids, one of the most progressive cities in 
Michigan, has recently voted a bond issue of $200,000 for 
the purchase of park and playground property. It is set- 
ting the pace for Western Michigan, and is an example 
for every growing village and town. While this fund is 
for present purposes, mainly, it awakens the thought that 
to secure park and playgrounds today, while prices are 
low, is making an investment for which the present-day 
authorities will be gratefully thanked and remembered in 
the future; and while the smaller places have a reluctance 
to buy property for future park use while they have so 
much “out-doors” close at hand, the propriety of secur- 
ing it now is none the less desirable and should be con- 
sidered so. It is neither always necessary nor advisable 
to buy expensive property in the heart of the community; 
the waste pieces and places can be transformed by the 
landscape architects into beauty spots, and the future of 
the boys and girls is a responsibility that should weigh 
very heavily on all municipal authorities in whose hands 
is placed the statesman’s privilege of looking into the 
future for the welfare of the present. 
