F ARK AND CEMETERY. 
672 
trance is a group of statuary, cut in 
brown-stone by Thom, which is the 
chief ornament of the grounds in a 
Old Mortality will recall the scene. 
Its natural beauty of site and scen- 
ery, embellished by much skill and 
SOME FINE TREES IN WEST 
SLAB WITH PLATE GLASS FOR 
LIGHTING UNDERGROUND 
VAULT, WEST LAUREL HILL 
CEMETERY. 
LAUREL HILL CEMETERY. 
labor; the variety and magnificence of 
its monuments, together with the 
names of its distinguished 
dead, have long made Lau- 
rel Hill famous as a place 
of interest in Philadelphia. 
The perpetual care fund, 
amounting in 1909 to $263,- 
650.07, provides for the care 
of the cemetery walks, 
drives, walls, enclosures, 
buildings, trees, plants, etc. 
This fund is held in trust 
by the Girard Trust Com- 
pany, of Philadelphia. 
Nurseries and green- 
hoitses under the direct 
management of the ceme- 
tery company are located in 
Central Laurel Hill, where 
there is a large assortment 
of plants and cut flowers. 
West Laurel Hill Cemetery, an en- 
tirely separate tract from Laurel Hill, 
Montgomery County. The cemetery 
lies on a table-land protected on two 
sides by precipitous ravines, and on 
the front by bluffs, falling rapidly 
away to the Schuylkill river. 
The natural beauties of the location 
have been enhanced by the planting 
of a great variety of trees — the con- 
tinued care of the grass and soil — the 
construction of broad substantial 
stone roads — the erection of suitable 
buildings and engineerings and land- 
scape work which is equaled only by 
the largest public parks. 
The selection of the site of West 
Laurel Hill was the result of an ex- 
haustive survey. No other location 
in the environs of Philadelphia could 
be found combining all the requisites 
TYPICAL LAWN VIEW 
public way. It is a group exhibiting 
Old Mortality at his favorite occupa- 
tion of restoring defaced tombstones, 
pausing a moment to converse with 
Sir Walter Scott. Readers of Scott’s 
IN WEST LAUREL HILL. 
is one of the most beautiful and care- 
fully devlcped of the Philadelphia 
burial grounds. It is situated between 
the Schuylkill river and Belmont ave- 
nue, just beyond the city limits, in 
ENTRANCE TO RECEIAHNG TOMB AND PORTE- 
COCHERE, W'’EST LAUREL HILL. 
of a cemetery. West Laurel Hill was 
dedicated for burial purposes in 1869 
and the first interment was made in 
May 5, 1870. 
Besides a comprehensive general 
illustrated book. West Laurel Hill is- 
sues from time to time handsomely 
prepared special books that are mod- 
els of good cemetery advertising. 
Their special books on “Grave Deco- 
rations” and on "Brick Graves” have 
been illustrated and described in de- 
tail in P.vRK AND Cemetery. 
No less interesting is the special 
48-page illustrated book on the "Trees 
and Shrubs of West Laurel Hill.” 
The trees and shrubs of West 
Laurel Hill Cemetery have been care- 
fully tagged and numbered. This il- 
lustrated catalogue furnishes the com- 
mon and botanical names correspond- 
ing to the numbered tag on each tree. 
It is the intention of the cemetery 
company, from time to time, to add 
trees to the growth already on the 
cemetery, until an assortment of or- 
namental trees and shrubs suitable for 
the climate of Philadelphia may here 
be found. 
