58 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
NOTES FROM TOWER GROVE PARK, ST. LOUIS. 
Although the cyclone of last May destroyed and 
damaged a great number of trees in Tower Grove, 
it seems to have been a blessing in disguise, for it 
has resulted in a re-grouping of trees and shrubs 
MAGNOLIA J.ENiNEI 
and a general opening up of vistas that is distinctly 
to the artistic improvement of the ( landscape effects. 
The change wrought by clearing away and re- 
planting is already strikingly obvious, and doubt- 
less will be much more so when the thousands of speci- 
mens set out this season have developed into the 
pictures intended by Mr. Gurnty, the busy superin- 
tendent. 
The formal lines of trees that originally out 
lined every drive have given way to broad views 
and nice perspectives in which the new and the. 
old blend imperceptibly. The 
work as far as carried out shows 
proper consideration of breadth of 
effect in seizing the opportunity 
so unexpectedly offered for chang- 
ing the style of the grounds. 
FortunatelyTiumbers of trees 
and shrubs were undisturbed by 
the great storm, *so that no part ol 
the Park looks meagerly furnish- 
ed, and it never presents a mori 
attractive appearance than when 
spring flowering trees and shrubs 
are in bloom. 
Early May found Red Buds 
already past and Magnolias stell- 
ata, Conspicua, Lennei, Soulang- 
eana, obovata, and purpurea past 
or passing, though some were still 
splendid objects, as M. Len- 
nei with its lovely cups, like the pleasure boat of 
the Culprit Fay, “purple withoutand pearl within,” 
and obligingly dropping its outer petals to disclose 
their dainty interior quite as women willingly ex- 
hibit the delicate colors and materials that line their 
rich wraps. Spiraea Thunbergii was past but the 
double flowered plum leaved Spiraea showed drifts 
of white bloom. Every shoot of the Morse Chest- 
nut trees held an upright spike of greenish-cream 
flowers set off to perfection by handsome digitate 
leaves, and the snowdrop trees, Halesia tetraptera, 
dripping thousands of silver bells were so delicate 
and airy that photography seemed quite inadequate 
for their happy reproduction. The fine flowering 
cherries and plums were nearly gone, and Cornus 
Florida was in all stages — passing, at its best, just 
opening, or not a flower open according to the 
position of each individual and seemingly very sus- 
ceptible to slight differences of exposure and situa- 
tion. 
Breadth of treatment is undoubtedly the first 
consideration in all landscape work, but small or 
medium-sized parks located within easy reach of the 
masses of a great city must be all things to all men, 
and while breadth of effect appeals to a proportion 
of the driving public, certain details appeal to a 
vastly greater proportion of those who reach it by 
steam, electric, and elevated cars, so that the transi- 
tory summer decoration of such grounds is a sub- 
ject of much thought to Park Superintendents. 
It is said that all such decorations should be so 
set apart as not to mar the general landscape. At 
Tower Grove this end is accomplished as nearly as 
may be by grouping the temporary ornamental 
planting near the several direct entrances from car 
line terminals that are apart from the carriage en- 
trances and from the principal drives. In such lo- 
PLUM-LEAVED SPIRvEA. 
