PARK AND CEMETERY. 
4:<S5 
cialli^ interested for the time being. 
Owners of fast horses want, a speed- 
way for racing sports, equestrians 
want the open stretches of turf for 
galloping on, hurdles to be set up for 
them to jump over, and a special sec- 
tion reserved for polo playing; bi- 
cycle riders want special tracks for 
greater convenience and for compe- 
ftitions of speed, and visitors on foot 
want the license of going anywhere 
at will and doing as they please. 
“Others spy out a chance to advance 
some personal scheme of private ad- 
vantage under the cloak of concern 
for the public good. Space is wanted 
for a merry-go-round for the amuse- 
ment of the children. Some sharp 
slope is just the right pitch for a 
toboggan-slide or a coasting rink. An 
amphitheatrelike sweep of bank is 
coveted for spectacular exhibitions, 
circuses, shooting matches, etc., with 
all their paraphernalia of tents and 
enclosures. The smaller greens must 
be devoted to tennis and croquet, the 
larger to baseball and lacrosse, and 
the largest to military maneuvers and 
mass-meetings. Thus at every point 
usages creep in which are in many 
respects inconsistent with the con- 
servation of natural beauty of the 
grounds, and in the end utterly de- 
structive' of its most attractive fea- 
tures. 
“Similar damages arise from other 
causes. The owners or occupiers of 
the land adjacent to the park boun- 
dary become dissatisfied with their 
position at the back of the picture. 
They think it would be much im- 
proved (to them, at least) if the frame 
were knocked off. The effect to the 
public at large, who look at it only 
in front, is to them a matter of no 
consequence. So new gateways are 
urged wherever any plausible plea 
can be offered for them; openings in 
the border screen are wanted oppo- 
site the private view or to help the 
sale of the property. These schemes 
succeeding more or less, a combined 
raid is next made on the boundary 
fence, because “it is unsightly, it is 
useless, it is a relic of barbarism, a 
sign of aristocratic e.xclusiveness,” 
and so forth. The grounds belong to 
the public, and they should not even 
seem to be shut out from their own. 
If removed, they may be trusted not 
to abuse the confidence reposed in 
them. The temptation to trespass 
would be resisted, and the proper 
galewa}-s only would be used for en- 
trance or exit just as before. The 
fence accorrlingly is removed, the 
boundary is immediately overrun in 
every direction, the regular walks are 
neglected, tracks are at once beaten 
out in the grass on all the direct lines 
of passage, and all semblance of or- 
der vanishes from the grounds along 
with the last vestiges of garden orna- 
ment and finish. 
“These usages are fatal -to all artistic 
design, as shabby gentility is especial- 
ly offensive to good taste. Their ef- 
fects are more or less visible in all 
our public grounds, and most serious- 
ly deface what were originally the 
fairest portions. This has led to some 
reaction against any elaborate finish, 
and to a demand for simplicity to the 
extent of crudeness; all open grounds 
to be treated as commons, and all 
plantations as if they were natural 
woods. But the natural beauty of the 
simplest scenery is soon destroyed by 
such public usage. Therefore, what- 
ever the style of improvement may 
be, it must be maintained intact after 
its. kind, else all the money spent on 
it is worse than thrown away. 
“In how many parks and cemeteries 
will the following description of its 
entrance apply? 
“ ‘A huddle of trees' in clumps and 
showy shrubs and bits of grass, spec- 
M inor Disadvantages of Oil on Roads 
In answer to G. B. S. in December 
Park and Cemetery, the use of oil 
for dust suppression is now in gen- 
eral use in many sections of the 
country. I have heard similar com- 
plaints to those spoken of by G. B. S., 
but have not heard of a remedy, ex- 
cept that the dust being laid by the 
oil was so much more beneficial to 
all users of roads or driveways, as 
well as to nearby residents, as to off- 
set any little damage to rubber tires, 
varnish or even clothing that might 
be done. Moreover, with the advent 
of the automobile, those in charge of 
roads and driveways had to look for 
a remedy to prevent the utter de- 
struction of the roads by the automo- 
biles. This remedy was largely 
found in the use of oil. Is it not up 
to the builder of the automobile to 
find a remedy for the prevention of 
the destruction of the tires, varnish 
or whatever else may be damaged by 
the oil? Perhaps he has already found 
that remedy. If not, I am sure he 
will. ' 
kled with exotics recently brought 
from the greenhouse and loudly con- 
fessing their homesickness, or 
splashed with gaudy pattern-beds of 
chromo-like vulgarity. The planter’s 
one idea has been to get as much va- 
riety as he could within his narrow 
limits. As a result he has entirely 
lost the unity which alone can give 
value to variety.’ 
“There is no character or individual- 
ity; it is a place in which plants are 
grown, but not a place which, as a 
whole, makes any impression upon 
the eye, except to confuse and pain it. 
“We can understand what Monsieur 
Andre, the French landscape garden- 
er, meant when he wrote that most 
people’s idea of gardening is ‘the 
cleaning up of spontaneous produc- 
tions,’ followed by ‘the accumulation 
of strange and dissimilar objects.’ 
This is to say, that most people go to 
work in their gardens as they would 
in their houses, if, after moving out 
all the old furniture, they should 
bring in a bric-a-brac dealer’s stock 
and arrange it as a bric-a-brac dealer 
prefers. Such a house would not be 
fit to live in; and many entrances to 
parks and cemeteries are, for the same 
reason, not fit to look at.” 
Keeping Grass Cut on Large Lawns 
In answer to the question of G. A. 
F. about keeping grass short. on large 
lawns, I will say that the grass on 
areas in large or country parks does 
not want to be cut too short; in fact, 
an error that is too often made in 
the keeping of lawns is their being 
cut too short. If G. A. F. will try 
the one-horse Ideal Deering machine, 
set to its lowest and at all times kept 
in good running order, I think he 
will have found his remedy and throw 
off his objections to the ordinary 
hay-cutting machine. 
In many large parks a flock of 
sheep are used, and these prove both 
ornamental and useful, with the oc- 
casional use of the Deering mower, 
to trim off any seed top that the 
sheep may miss, make a large park 
grass area or meadow a thing of 
beauty and a joy forever. 
J. W. Duncan. 
Supt. of Parks, Spokane, Wash. 
Best Water System for Small Grounds 
“What is the best water system for a 
small park or cemetery not connected 
with city mains?” — J. C. W. 
ASKED and ANSWERED 
An exchange of experience on practical matters by our readers. You 
are invited to contribute questions and answers to this department. 
