PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Vol. XX. Chicago, January, 1911 No. 11 
A Promising Horticultural Institute 
The Illinois State Horticultural Society, the Illinois Flor- 
ists’ Association, the Cook County Truck Growers' Associa- 
tion, the Illinois Outdoor Improvement Association, the Lake 
Forest Horticultural Society; in co-operation with the Horti- 
cultural Department of the University of Illinois, have neen 
planning for a ten day horticultural institute at the University 
of Illinois, Champaign, 111., to be held January 31 to February 
iO, inclusive. The program issued is an inviting one and 
covers a wide field, as might he inferred. The day sessions 
will include lectures by prominent authorities, followed by 
practical demonstrations, laborator 3 ' exercises or discussions, 
and the evenings will be principally devoted to illustrated 
lectures covering various types of vital importance. Apart 
from the general interest such an institute might induce to 
students and men engaged in the allied businesses connected 
with horticulture, the program appears not alone highly edu- 
cational from both theoretical and practical standpoints, but 
most attractive in the interesting features which are in- 
separable from work in fruits, flowers and trees. Many of 
our state colleges are entering this field of broader education 
for their citizens, and when once the movement is generally 
appreciated there will be no parsimony exhibited in providing 
funds for promoting and maintaining the good work. No 
field of education has more entertaining possibilities, and 
considering that such education leads to more enthusiasm for 
a "beautiful America” should spur all teachers and educators 
to a maximum of energy in the cause. 
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National Art 
Among the many suggestive papers presented at the annual 
convention of the American Civic Association, held at Wash- 
ington, D. C., in December, was one by Mr. Thomas Nelson' 
Page on American art, with particular reference to the 
standard of national monuments, which he characterized as a 
“travesty of art” ; he said also : “go through the length and 
breadth of the land and see for yourself what the soldiers’ 
monuments are like,” and admitting that monuments repre- 
sent an idea, “how frightfully do they express it,” he de- 
clared. While Mr. Page's criticism is caustic, he is mainly 
right, and it is very certain that the majority of the soldiers’ 
monuments at present occupying important public locations 
in our cities will have to be moved, replaced or rebuilt on 
more artistic lines, whenever a scheme of civic beauty in- 
cludes their sites. There are already signs of improvement 
in the personnel of park commissioners, which may be ex- 
pected to exercise a greater influence on the class of so- 
called art which may be admitted into our parks in the 
future; this is an important feature of the art question 
which needs particular attention, for our parks should com- 
bine instruction with recreation to fulfill their best purposes. 
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Historic Relic in Jackson Park, Chicago 
It may not be generally known that Jackson Park, Chicago, 
unsurpassed possibly as a park in its natural advantages and 
artistic development, also possesses a relic of really great 
historic interest and value ; it is the old Cahokia Courthouse, 
reputed to be the oldest public building in the Mississippi 
valley. It was removed from Caholcia, 111., to be erected on 
the exposition grounds at St. Louis, Mo., in 1904, and at the 
close of that exposition it was again removed to Chicago to 
be permanently placed on the “Wooded Island” in Jackson 
Park. It was built at Cahokia about the year 1716, and has 
seen service under three flags, French, British and American, 
both in civil and military occupation, and it is known as the 
oldest county seat building in the original northwest terri- 
tory; early documents also claim it to have been a school- 
house. In honor of its interest and historical associations the 
I 
first session of the newly created Muncipal Court of Chicago 
was held in it December 6, 1906, at which session the twenty - 
eight judges received their commissions from the State, and 
“the first order of the new' court was entered” in the old 
building. Such features of peculiar educational and histor- 
ic interest may well be preserved in our larger parks, under 
judicious care in selection and maintenance. 
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The National Flower Show, Boston, Mass. 
The National Flower Show is to be held in Boston, Mass., 
March 35 to April 1,1911, in connection with the spring con- 
vention of the Society of American h'lorists, the American 
Rose Society, the American Carnation Society, the American 
Gladiolus and the Massachusetts Horticultural Societies, 
indications suggested by the progress already made, it is quite 
confidently expected that the exhibition will be the greatest 
and most beneficial yet held. The owners of both large and 
small estates have been appealed to to make exhibits; the 
fertilizer companies will he well represented, and both gard- 
eners and farmers of New England have been invited to bring 
samples of their soils for analysis and advice as to what is 
required to improve the yield. This is one of many useful 
innovations which will be introduced. The coming exhibition 
promises to be one long to be remembered. 
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The Playground Idea a Growing One 
Nothing more is needed to establish the fact that the public 
playground was an unrealized though "long felt w’ant” than 
the rapid growth of the idea throughopt the country. In 
municipal reports and speeches on economic subjects, which, 
of course, include that of public health, it always nowadays 
occupies a, prominent place, and is, moreover, a theme of 
broad — in fact, vital — interest. In his inaugural address on 
his election for the fourth time to the mayoralty of Quincy, 
Mass., Mayor W. T. Shea, on the question of playgrounds, 
says: "Next to schools I believe properb- equipped and main- 
tained playgrounds to be of most vital importance in the de- 
velopment of the children of the city." In his previous in- 
augurals he emphasized the importance of supervised public 
playgrounds, which should be located in every w-ard of the 
city. This quite well expresses up-to-date thought on the 
subject, and throughout the country there is to be observed 
a general movement looking to the establishment of public 
playgrounds iii connection with other educational facilities. 
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The Audubon Societies 
It is gratifying to note that the .\udubon societies of 
the country are slowly but surely making their influence 
felt in the protection of the birds in various parts of the 
country. In point of fact they have already accomplished 
a great deal. While the longing is supposedly natural on 
the part of .womankind to use the beautiful feathering of 
the;bir.ds for personal decoration, it should be inconceiv- 
able that she is oblivious to all the cruelty practiced to 
secure it, and to the suffering entailed on the practically 
harmless victims cj her vanity. The educational work of 
the bird-protection societies should be encouraged, and 
their active operations should receive all the financial 
backing necessary to secure results. 
