PARK AND CEMETERY. 
21 
treatment is recorded in the very term landscape 
gardening. In recent times there has been a con- 
spicuous reaction from the extreme naturalistic 
treatment of garden areas toward some of the 
formalisms of earlier methods, but the controlling 
sentiment is still free and artistic in expression, and 
no designer of the present day would consent to be 
bound by the hard and fast rules of former times. 
The terms landscape architecture and landscape 
architect are, therefore, anachronisms. But the 
worse feature of these words is the impression which 
they unavoidably impart, that landscape gardening 
is a mere formal art and is successful in proportion, 
as it follows certain conventionalisms. The chief 
reason why this term is becoming popular seems to 
be a desire for a more pretentious and high-sound- 
ing name, which shall place the garden designer 
upon an equal footing with his compeer, the archi- 
tect. 
One is tempted to explain this desire for a pe- 
dantic name to lack of power upon the part of the 
designer, for a true artist does not need to apolo- 
gize for his title. But for the most part the term 
landscape architect has had a natural growth. Ar- 
chitecture has enjoyed a wonderful increase in popu- 
larity in recent years as applied to home buildings 
of the middle class, and gardening has not kept 
pace with it. A similarity of terms gives a seem- 
ingly equality of importance to the two arts, which 
is satisfactory to those who do not consider that 
landscape gardening is always of slower growth 
than the other. Another important influence is the 
tendency to lay out grounds by mere plans or maps 
without any adequate study of the lands themselves, 
or even without any personal knowledge of them. 
This comes largely from the great extent of our 
new country and the comparatively few landscape 
gardeners, and the great expense of time and money 
which is consequently demanded in a personal visit 
of the designer to the grounds. These ready-made 
plans have an educational value as suggestions, but 
if taken literally — as they too frequently are — they 
may work harm. It is the application of these general 
or outline plans to particular grounds which re- 
quires the skill of the trained landscape gardener, 
and the ready-made plans are, therefore, likely to 
fail at the vital point. But such plans enforce a 
likeness of landscape gardening to architecture, and 
account, in some measure, for the unfortunate ter- 
minology of which we complain. — L. H. Bailey in 
American Gardening , June, 1893. 
The largest flower in the world grows in Sumatra. It 
is called the Rafflesia Arnoldi, and some of the speci- 
mens are thirty-nine inches in diameter. The central 
cup will hold six quarts of water. 
PARK NOTES. 
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The plans for the harbor park, Newport, R. I., prepared by 
Messrs. Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot, were adopted by the Park 
Commission. 
* * » 
Scranton, Pa., is moving actively in the direction of a more 
adequate park system, and some $200,000 is under consideration 
for expenditure in this direction. 
A proposition is being discussed in Yonkers, N. Y., to create 
a park commission and issue bonds for $40,000 for the purchase 
of park land and its improvement. 
* * * 
The Park Commissioners of Buffalo, N. Y., ask for $600,- 
000 for park improvements and favor issuing long term bonds for 
$475,000 to meet part of the expenditures. 
* * * 
A bill authorizing the expenditure of $25,000 for the im- 
provement of the Ninth and Fifteen street entrances of Prospect 
Park, Brooklyn, has been favorably reported in the Assembly. 
* * * 
New Castle, Pa., has been offered 60 acres of lands for park 
purposes by some well-known citizens, on condition that the city 
within the next five years expends $10,000 in improving the 
tract. 
» * * 
Permission has been accorded Alexander Hamilton Post, G. 
A. R., New York City, to plant thirteen trees in some park north 
of the Harlem. The trees are designed to serve as successors to 
the thirteen planted by Hamilton which have been overtaken by 
the march of modern improvement. Commissioner Stiles re- 
marked when the resolution was passed: “If Hamilton had 
known as much about planting trees as he did about making 
constitutions those trees would have lasted better. One tree 
would have had more leaves on it than the whole thirteen have.” 
* * * 
Large sums of money are being called for this year to prose- 
cute the work on the park systems in and about Boston. An ap- 
priation of $500,000 is asked from the Assembly for the purchase 
of land for the extension of the Charles River park system to 
Dedham. Another bill is to authorize the Metropolitan Park 
Commission to take land for a boulevard or parkway, from 
Squantum Head in Quincy to Boston and the Blue Hills reser- 
vation. Another general bill asks for $1,000,000 for the con- 
struction of roads and boulevards by the Metropolitan Park Com- 
missioners. 
* * * 
The Indianapolis City Council, at a special session, ap- 
proved the plan for a $5,000,000 system of parks, extending 
twenty-five miles, and designed ultimately to entirely circum- 
scribe the city. The initial appropriation decided on, is for 
$350,000, to purchase that part of the ground lying west and 
north of the city, along White River and Fall Creek. The Fall 
Creek section runs through the heart of the beautiful and ele- 
vated residence portion on the north side. The system is to in- 
clude boulevards and parks, with a bicycle path, to connect with 
the present improved bicycle path leading to Broad Ripple, 
along the towpath, and which is acknowledged to be the most 
picturesque ride in the country. 
* * * 
Halifax, Nova Scotia, has in its Point Pleasant Park, one of 
the oldest parks in Canada, and for natural beauty scarcely to be 
surpassed. It comprises some 180 acres of land, situated at the 
south end of the peninsula upon which Halifax stands and its 
highest point is about 150 feet above the sea. There are some 
