56 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
A FREAK OF NATURE. 
Many notes have been recorded of curious ef- 
forts of nature, especially regarding trees and their 
peculiarities, and the accompanying illustration, 
which is here given through the courtesy of Mr. 
George W. Scoville, funeral director, of Norfolk, 
Conn., shows the strange growth of an elm in Cen- 
A FREAK OF NATURE. 
ter Cemetery, Norfolk. The close embrace in which 
the passing years have aided the tree to hold the 
tombstone, have partially hidden the inscription. 
It reads: “Jerusha Porter, wife of Capt. John 
Porter, died January 13, 1828.” To the right of 
the tree can be seen the stone of Capt. Porter, on 
which is inscribed: “In memory of Capt. John 
Porter, who died April 14, 1790, aged 46 years. 
Nor sex nor age can death defy. Think, mortal, 
what it is to die.” 
Center Cemetery is an old spot containing many 
interesting relics of by-gone days, which afford food 
for thought in contrast with the ideas of to-day. 
It is beautifully situated as so many New England 
cemeteries are, is owned by the town and very great 
care and attention is bestowed upon it. 
WATER LILIES. 
Mr. David Grinton, superintendent 
of Oak Grove Cemetery, Delaware, O., 
who has given particular attention to 
the subject of Water Lilies, and with 
marked success, contributes the follow- 
ing practical suggestions on their care 
and cultivation: 
We have no plants in our grounds 
that attract so much attention as our 
water lilies. About eight years ago I 
commenced using them, and they need 
less care after once getting them started 
than a bed of geraniums. The varieties 
I principally grow are the Nelumbium 
speciosum, Nymphaea Zanzibarensis, 
Nymphaea chromatella, Nymphaea odor- 
ata, rosea and alba. 
Our soil being a clay one, I prepare 
the tanks in the following manner: 
By excavating about two feet in depth 
and using the best of Portland cement 
to cement the bottom and sides, I use 
the same kind of soil as for other plants 
—rotted sod, cow manure and leaves, 
well decayed. After the bed is ready 
plant the Nelumbiums, gently forcing 
them into the loam with the hand, and 
in the fall I cover the bed with plank 
and leaves and brush generally. Last 
fall we had no brush and we used corn 
stalk, but found that kind of covering 
attracted a large number of rats and 
mice, who had evidently wintered 
there very comfortably, but on exam- 
ination they did not appear to have in- 
jured the tubers. Those varieties men- 
tioned are the easiest grown, and, I 
think, give more satisfaction than any others. 
Nymphaea Zanzibarensis is a free bloomer and 
very fragrant. I raise it from seed each year. The 
seed is sown in shallow pans about three inches 
deep, and with about two inches of soil kept wet to 
the consistency of mud. As we have no green- 
house, we prepare a hot bed frame and keep the 
temperature at about 90 degrees, or as near it as 
possible, and the seed soon starts. When about 
one-fourth of an inch in height we transplant the 
