PARK AND CEMETERY. 
668 
ASKED and ANSWERED 
An exchange of experience on practical matters by our readers. You 
are invited to contribute questions and answers to this department. 
When to Trim Hydrangeas. 
Editor Park and Cemetery: In your 
July issue I notice question of ‘‘H. H. 
Pa.”: “When would you trim hydran- 
geas, spring of year or fall?” an- 
swered correctly Bellett Lawson, 
Jr. The “rule” laid down by Mr. 
Lawson, however, is wrong and mis- 
leading. Shrubs blooming on the 
young wood, or one season's growth, 
should be pruned in winter or early 
spring before awakening of plant life, 
while shrubs growing on the old or 
last season’s wood should be pruned 
immediately after they are through 
blooming. This will give the shrubs 
a chance to grow good, strong, flow- 
ering wood for their proper season. 
Nothing is gained by fall pruning, in 
fact little fall pruning is done by a 
practical gardener. 
Theodore Wirth. 
Supt. of Pks., Minneapolis. 
Preventing Freezing of Fountains 
and Small Ponds 
Fountains and small ponds con- 
taining fish and water lilies may be 
kept from freezing through by the 
following simple device : Stones are 
piled in several places up to the wa- 
ter level as supports for the ice, and 
the water is allowed to freeze until 
the ice crust is thick enough to be 
upheld by the supports. Then the 
water below is drawn off sufficiently 
to leave a space of two inches be- 
tween water and ice crust, and a small 
hole is broken into the ice to admit 
air to the fish. The water will not 
freeze any further now, as it is pro- 
tected by the ice together with the 
layer of air between the two. — Die 
Gartenwelt. 
Grass Seed for Marsh Land. 
What is the best lawn seed mix- 
ture to plant on reclaimed marsh 
land, the land being properly worked 
up and fertilized. — W. B. H., R. 1. 
As to what is the best grass to sow 
on reclaimed marsh land, for the con- 
struction of a lawn, I would say that 
if the land is drained — you claim that 
it has been fertilized — the best mix- 
ture, in my opinion, would be Ken- 
tucky blue grass, red top, and sheep 
fescue. A dressing of lime you will 
find very beneficial, in that it will 
help to decompose the peat. 
J. A. Pettigrew. 
Supt. of Parks, Boston. 
Schools of Landscape Gardening. 
Are there any schools where a young 
man may take a course of about two 
or three years in “Landscape Garden- 
ing”; that is, after he has finished a 
college course? — R. J. P., la. 
This subject was considered in de- 
tail in Park .\nd Ce.metery for Octo- 
ber, 1909, and the leading colleges 
that offered courses in landscape gar- 
dening were mentioned and the 
courses described. Any of these 
would doubtless furnish work to oc- 
cupy two or three years even for one 
who has completed the regular college 
course. The schools mentioned in 
that article were Harvard Lffiiversity ; 
Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.; 
University of Illinois, Urbana, 111.; 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 
Mich.; Ohio State University, Colum- 
bus, O.; University of California, Ber- 
keley, Cal.; Lowthorpe School, Gro- 
ton, Mass.; the Missouri Botanical 
Garden, St. Louis, IMo.; and Colum- 
bia University, New York City. The 
University of Iowa, we believe, also 
maintains courses in landscape gar- 
dening in connection wdth its college 
of agriculture. Prospectuses and oth- 
er information as to the course of 
study in any of these institutions of 
course may be had for the asking by 
any one interested. 
Automobiles in Cemeteries. 
The question of admitting automo- 
biles within cemetery grounds is con- 
tinually bobbing up with us and also 
with others. We prohibit them, but 
a pressure is being brought to bear to 
change the rule, and the question 
arises what is the custom in other 
cemeteries? If you have any infor- 
mation in regard to it and will kindly 
give it to us through Park and Ceme- 
tery I am sure it will be appreciated 
by many managers as well as — G. W. 
K., Ind. 
The growing popularity of the auto- 
funeral cars in the larger cities calls 
to mind several inquiries concerning 
the admission of automobiles to ceme- 
teries, and makes the question one of 
some importance. The majority of 
cemeteries represented at the conven- 
tion at Philadelphia admitted auto- 
mobiles with certain restrictions. In 
at least nine cemeteries represented 
automobiles were positively pro- 
hibited, in one or two instances as 
the result of accidents. They have. 
of course, come to stay, hut users 
should be compelled to comply strict- 
ly with the laws governing their use 
in cemeteries as well as elsewhere. 
Large city cemeteries almost univer- 
sally admit them. The chief reason 
for barring them would seem to be 
the size of the cemetery, the small- 
ness of its roads, or insufficient po- 
licing. 
The following is a copy of the rules 
recently adopted at Woodlawn Ceme- 
tery, Detroit, Mich.: 
Owing to a number of accidents and in 
order to provide for the safety and comfort 
of visitors in carriages and on foot, the 
Directors of Woodlawn Cemetery Associa- 
tion request your co-operation in carrying 
out the following regulations: 
Automobiles must not be driven at a 
greater speed than 8 miles per hour within 
the cemetery. 
Automobiles or other vehicles must not 
be turned upon an avenue, but will be re- 
quired to drive around a section. Fast or 
reckless driving will not be allowed. 
Keep in the center of the roads and use 
extraordinary precaution in entering tb^ 
cemetery gates. Care must be taken to 
avoid running upon the grass borders of 
the sections. 
Slow down in turning corners, as other 
vehicles and persons may be hidden from 
view by shrubbery. 
Automobiles must not be driven past 
funerals going in the same direction; when 
meeting a funeral or approaching a lot 
where burial services are being conducted, 
proceed very slowly or, better still, cour- 
teously come to a stop until the services 
are at an end. 
Do not try to pass a horse showing signs 
of fear; come to a stop and let the ho. se 
go by. 
The horn must not be sounded unless 
absolutely necessary; remember that the 
majority of visitors are on foot and that 
their rights must be respected. 
Persons wilfully disregarding the above 
regulations or neglecting to strictly ob- 
serve the proprieties due the cemetery w'ill 
be prosecuted. 
Motor cycles admitted only upon permit 
issued at the office. 
Teaching Practical Civic Improve- 
ment. 
How may citizens of the smaller 
towns be educated to appreciate and 
assist in promoting civic beauty? — J. 
G., Kas. 
In answer to J. G., Kas., asking 
how citizens of smaller towns may be 
educated up to “Civic Improvement,” 
I will state that less than a year ago 
I was a highly honored member of 
the “down and out club” due to the 
reaction of the panic of 1907, and was 
more than willing to work for a pit- 
tance. However. I picked up a b'g 
city paper that has a hobby of run- 
ning practically a page daily of civ’c 
improvement news liberally supplied 
with half-tone reproductions of civic 
beauty. This suggested an idea. The 
idea was “practical education.” The 
paper abounded in results, but did 
not tell how to produce them. 1 
submitted an article and it w'as gob- 
bled up eagerly, with a request for 
more of the same dope. I was then 
