PARK AND CEMETERY. 
127 
month, I think it nonsense to place politicians in a 
position to frustrate such a study for the sake of a 
nurseryman’s commission, or the hope of his fertil- 
izer orders! 
Such men will never make the land we live in 
more beautiful. J, MacP. 
THE CONVENTION OF CEMETERY SUPERIN- 
TENDENT’S AT CINCINNATI. 
The Executive Committee has decided upon 
the following programme for the convention of the 
Association of American Cemetery Superintend- 
ents, to be held at Cincinnati, O., September 14, 
15, 1 6 and 17, 1897. The Grand Hotel has been 
selected for headquarters. It is convenient to the 
Grand Central Railroad Station, and the managers 
have assured the committee that everything 
possible for the comfort, and convenience of 
the members and their friends and the work of the 
convention will be done. The rates for American 
plan are $3.00 and upwards; and on the European 
plan $1.00 and upwards. The following program 
has been arranged : 
Programme. 
SEPTEMBER 14, FORENOON SESSION. 
Meeting will be called to order at 9 o’clock. 
Reception of new members and roll call. 
Address of welcome by his honor, the mayor, Gustave Tafel. 
President’s address. 
Secretary and treasurer’s report. 
Communications. Appointment of committees. 
Informal discussions. 
Paper, “The History and Usefulness of the Association of 
American Cemetery Superintendents,” by Mr. Chas. Nichols. 
Recess for lunch. 
AFTERNOON AT 2 O’CLOCK. 
Trolley ride in special cars through the city and suburbs. 
EVENING. 
Meeting called to order at 8 o’clock. 
Paper by Mr. Wm. Stone, ‘The Influence of the Associa- 
tion.” 
Paper by Mr. Sidney J. Hare, “The Influence of Surround- 
ings.” 
Paper by Messrs. Earnshaw & Punshon, “Landscape Engi- 
neering as Applied to Cemeteries.” 
SECOND DAY — SEPTEMBER 1 5, FORENOON. 
Roll call at 9 o’clock. 
Paper on “How to Make and Maintain a Lawn,’’ by Mr. G. 
H. Scott. 
Paper, “A Lady’s Experience in Cemetery Management,” 
by Mrs. E. E. Hay. 
Question box. 
Nomination of officers. 
Review of the St. Louis meeting by Mr. O. C. Simonds. 
AFTERNOON. 
Take cars at 1 -.30 for the Art Museum, Eden Park, and the 
Zoo, returning to the city at 6 p. m. 
EVENING. 
Meeting called to order at 8 o’clock. 
Election of officers. 
Paper by Mr. Chas. Dury, “A Half Hour with Insects In- 
jurious and Beneficial.” 
Paper by Mr. A. McCullough on “Grass Seeds and 
Weeds.” 
SEPTEMBER 16. 
It is proposed to spend the day in going to Dayton, O. The 
directors of Woodlawn Cemetery, that city, have extended an 
invitation to the association to visit their Cemetery and the Sol- 
diers’ Home. 
SEPTEMBER 17. 
Take carriages at the Grand Hotel at 8:30 for a drive through 
Burnet Wood Park, Clifton, including the beautiful grounds of 
Henry Probasco, Esq.; thence to Spring Grove Cemetery. 
After driving through the cemetery will go to Chester Park for 
lunch. After lunch will return to Spring Grove Cemetery, and 
there spend the afternoon, returning to the Grand Hotel by 
street cars at 5:30 o’clock. 
At 7:30 a banquet will be served at the hotel, Mr, Howard 
Saxby presiding as toastmaster. 
EXCERPTS FROM THE DOG-EARED NOTE BOOK OF 
A TRAVELER AND OBSERVER. 
II. 
At Edinburgh Castle, behind the battlements 
on the north side of the fortress and just in front 
of the battery, is a dog cemetery. Such an insti- 
tution exists in one or two Enslish garrison towns 
likewise, probably implying the British soldier’s 
fondness for his dog. That at Edinburgh Castle is 
filled with stones, erected to the memory of regi- 
mental pets, with the names of corps and dates 
thereon, the latter going well back to the begin- 
ning of the present century. The spot is much 
neglected of recent years and is not open to the 
general public, though the castle guides, as a rule, 
point it out to visitors. 
# * * 
In the disposition of their dead, the customs of 
the Parsees of India are more nearly consistent with 
the principles which they profess than any other 
people. They are fire worshippers and the under- 
lying principle of their religion is a veneration for 
the elements. This prevents the resort to fire, 
mother earth or water, in disposing of the dead, as 
the dead would be a pollution of an element which 
stands in the relation of a deity to them. Hence, 
the Towers of Silence, — the first erected over two 
centuries ago, — provide a system of disposing of 
dead bodies, by which it is supposed that none 
of the impurities of the corpse can affect the ele- 
ments. 
The Parsees are an esoteric sect and none of 
their religious customs was more secretly guarded 
rom exposure than their mode of sepulture, until, 
