12 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
reate the “village beautiful,’’ out of the disorder 
and unkemptness which, as a rule, has generally ac- 
companied village conditions. 
The idea of improving the village, either as a 
whole or in the matter of individual holdings for the 
general effect, has not been accepted as one carry- 
ing with it valuable possibilities. “Each for him- 
self” has been too much the rule of life generally, 
individually and collectively, and little effort has 
been made to prove the force of “In Union is 
Strength,” either as regards improvements for im- 
provement’s sake, or for the increased benefits which 
accrue to the community from organized effort in 
this direction. 
Comparatively speaking, up to the present time 
on this line, the whole strength of the country has been 
exercised in the locating and building of towns and 
villages and not to improving or adorning them; 
and moreover, this created such a system of real 
estate development that a fashion seemed to be set 
controlled by the real estate genius. 
Then, again, the American methods of survey- 
ing and mapping its territory, tending to obliterate 
all natural features in the practical building up of 
towns and villages, forced a monotony in plan to 
which attention is now being vigorously called by 
the growing profession of the landscape gardener. 
Whatever the causes, our towns and villages for 
the most part have hitherto lamentably lacked in the 
line of attractiveness, and the determined activity 
to redeem some of the lost time in the matter of im- 
provement is a very favorable sign of the times. 
What shall constitute the principal features of 
village improvement and how to organize for the 
work have been the questions which have puzzled 
the activities of the average community, and de- 
terred the most enthusiastic from active interest. 
Perhaps before any decided steps are taken 
towards adornment the question of “cleanliness” 
should be considered. Clearing up the debris, keep- 
ing the streets free from rubbish and the alleys 
clear of the accumulations of household refuse that 
so frequently render such by-ways absolutely ob- 
noxious for purposes of passage, and detrimental to 
the health of the community. If the village authori- 
ties are not disposed or constituted to do this work, 
and they certainly should be, organized effort on 
the part of the villagers might easily compel this, 
as it is a necessary function of village boards. Or 
working hand in hand with the village board a com- 
mittee appointed by the citizens by mutual under- 
standing could make this a special_duty. The care 
of sewers, drains, ditches and other sanitary neces- 
sities could, if not cared for by the local authorities, 
come under the attention of this committee. Espe- 
cial attention should be given to the drains and 
ditches that they be kept in the highest efficiency, 
so that besides the particular work for which they 
were laid out, they may be so arranged as to quickly 
drain the pools and stagnant waters after storms, as 
well as the village thoroughfares, that the roads 
may be kept in as good a state as possible. It is 
astonishing to note the difference between a village 
existing under careless conditions and one wherein 
the citizens exercise an active care. It affects not 
only the physical conditions of the real estate, but 
both the physical and moral conditions of the in- 
habitants. A civic pride is created, and what was 
once nobody’s business becomes the particular 
business of each individual member of the commu- 
nity, who with watchful eye not only protects his 
own interests in the question, but with equal cheer- 
fulness that of his neighbors. 
The most serious drawback to the good appear- 
ance of our villages in certain seasons of the year 
is the condition of the roads, and until more serious 
appreciation of the advantages of good roads is en- 
tertained and more intelligence devoted to their 
care we may expect little change. The whole sub- 
ject of roads and roadways is one of the most im- 
portant to be grappled with; it entails considera- 
tions of the utmost import to the community, both 
economical and sanitary, and yet no great subject 
has been more neglected. Good roads require in- 
telligence and money to construct them, it is true, 
but it is possible to greatly improve present condi- 
tions with some intelligence and a little money, and 
every community might be readily educated to the 
necessity, importance and value of such improve- 
ments, and work to the end that the local authorities 
be materially aided in prosecuting such work. 
RURAL LANES OF ENGLAND. 
We hear much and read much of the beauty of 
the rural roads of England, so beautiful do they 
seem to those of us who see them for the first time, 
or again after a lapse of years. These roads or lanes 
combine so much of the useful and beautiful, that it 
is no wonder they win the admiration of every one. 
In the first place, the road bed itself is generally a 
splendidly perfect affair, well macadamed and kept 
in such good repair that carriages roll over it with 
as little friction as would be met with on asphalt 
pavement. It has taken years to reach this almost 
perfect state, but as it is, it cannot be made much 
better, whether for riders or pedestrians, the way is 
always more than passable, it is inviting. 
There the most of the roads are, like our own, 
in the country. They wind about prettily, without 
deviating so much from a straight line as to cause 
much loss of time between different points. Then 
