PARK AND CEMRTERY. 
THe American Association of ParR Superintendent’s Eig^RtR 
Annual Convention. 
The eighth annual convention of the American As- 
sociation of Park Superintendents, the first since rhe 
New England Association broadened into a national 
organization, was held in Buffalo, Niagara Falls and 
Rochester, June 28, 29, 30, and July i. The meetings 
of this active, intelligent and useful body of profes- 
sional men are strikingl}' different from most con- 
ventions, and might be briefly described as a truly 
successful combination of business and pleasure. Pa- 
pers and formal discussions are dispensed with entirely, 
the whole time being given to the actual examination 
and study of parks. Their discussions of park matters 
are carried on throughout the year by means of trav- 
eling bulletins, which are sent to all the members, each 
one contributing to the subject under discussion. These 
bulletins more than compensate for the papers usually 
presented at conventions, and leave the limited time of 
the meetings for the practical inspection which cannot 
be conducted elsewhere. 
It would be hard to find more ideal conditions or a 
more fertile field for park study than those of the 
Buffalo meeting. Headquarters were at the Lenox 
Hotel, on one of Buffalo’s handsomest residence 
streets, amid park surroundings, and the weather 
seemed to have been ordered by the entertainment 
committee. 
Delaware Park, the Botanical Garden, the Buffalo 
parkways and little squares contributed valuable ob- 
ject lessons; Niagara Falls showed the conservation 
and care of grand natural scenery, and Rochester fur- 
nished an example of diversity in park areas, and re- 
markable results in development in a short time with 
limited funds. 
The association since its expansion has taken in a 
number of valuable western members, and while the 
growth of such an exclusively professional membership 
is necessarily not rapid, its influence is far out of pro- 
portion to its numerical growth. 
First Day, Wednesday, June 28 , 
The convention opened with a brief business session 
in the handsome Historical Building in Delaware. Park, 
erected as the New York state building during the 
Pan-American Exposition and preserved as a museum 
by the Buffalo Historical Society. President W. S. ;i 
Egerton called the. meeting to order at 10 a. m. and i 
Secretary John W. Duncan read a synopsis of last ' 
year’s meeting at New Haven, presented his own re- 
port and that of Treasurer Hemingway. He reported l 
69 members in good standing, which, with the eight 
elected at the meeting, whose names are given in 
another place, make a total of 77. The receipts for . 
the year were $299. The death of one member, Frank ; 
Dings, superintendent of the Blue Hills Reservation 
of Boston, was reported. ; 
On the recommendation of the executive committee i 
it was voted to raise the annual dues to five dollars ■ 
and discontinue the annual banquets in order to place ; 
the association on a better financial footing. A most ; 
important work was' undertaken by appointing an ! 
editing committee composed of Messrs. Duncan, Petti- 
grew and Cowell, to print and distribute to each mem- , 
ber in permanent form all of the bulletins that have : 
been issued from time to time by the association. The i 
secretary now has 68 of these bulletins, which consti- | 
tute the most valuable fund of practical information j 
on park affairs in the country, and the committee w'as I 
authorized to complete arrangements for their pub- 
lication as soon as funds were available. 
The election of officers was the next business, and 
after the duties of secretary and treasurer had been ji 
consolidated, and a salary attached to the office, Presi- [ 
dent Egerton appointed Messrs. Cowell, Amrhyn and j 
Keith as a nominating committee. He modestly dis- I 
claimed consideration for renomination, and urged that j 
as the president’s office was an honorary one, the j 
honor should be passed along. Secretary Duncan I 
attempted to retire in the same manner, but was unani- j 
