230 
PARK AND CEMETERY, 
with the better appreciation of landscape art in our 
burial places. 
A S the year opens again, and with it the 
gradual unfolding of plans and projects for 
iuture care, among them will soon be prom- 
inent preparations for convention week. At each 
recurring annual meeting of the American Asso- 
ciation of Cemetery Superintendents, the absence 
ot cemetery officials generally, other than superin- 
tendents. calls for comment ; and it is strange that 
the important subjects discussed by the latter offi- 
cials, and which are just as important in their de- 
gree to the whole management, do not draw their 
attendance as a matter of business interest. The 
matter of name of association has no real merit in 
the question, for so long as all cemetery officials 
are eligible to membership, the very fact that the 
questions discussed are inextricably interwoven 
into the business of the cemetery should be reason 
enough for their presence. However, having noted 
the difficulty so far, and surmising that the pro- 
grammes are not sufficiently attractive, it would be 
well in arranging for the next convention, not only 
to devise a programme to include questions of more 
garticular interest to the governing officials of the 
cemetery, but to secure the co-operation of such 
officials both in the reading of papers and their 
discussion. It seems certain that with a programme 
containing subjects pertaining to cemetery affairs, 
financial and managerial, and with discussions lead- 
ing to the recording of what is being done and 
what has been done in a progressive way in other 
cemeteries, trustees and other officers would find it 
to their positive advantage to attend the annual 
convention. Progress is not progress in one de- 
partment of the work and apathy in another: there 
must be sympathetic movement in all lines of work, 
and it behooves the Association to leave no stone 
unturned which may lead to the participation of all 
cemetery officials, of whatever department, in the 
annual conventions. 
T HERE is a great deal of comfort during this 
excessive cold period through which we have 
been passing, in the contemplation of the 
gardening work which our superintendents will be 
beginning to plan before many weeks are over in 
most of our cemeteries. There is considerable 
difference in practice in regard to this. With some 
the value of annual flowering and foliage plants 
for decorative purposes is uppermost, while with 
others perennial plants and dwarf shrubbery are 
the more attractive. There are conditions of course 
which more or less favor both views, and just so 
long as the average human being takes exceptional 
pleasure in a profusion of flowers, the flowering 
plants must be provided. Rut they should be used 
with judgment and caution, and in appropriate 
s : tuations. A gaudy display of flower beds in a 
cemetery does not accord or harmonize with its 
relations to humanity, while a careful and wise 
selection of flowers, appropriately placed, lends 
itself to the situation. Then, again, while the 
greenhouse has generally been a paying investment, 
its effects have been in some cases to litter the 
graves with heterogeneous assortment of plants, 
which it is impracticable to keep in that order in 
which in the interests of the lot they should be 
kept. It will be wise to continue to educate the 
lot owner along the lines which, while satisfying to 
the mourner, will tend to conserve the highest 
ideals of harmony and natural beauty. 
MAGNOLIAS. 
As winter draws toward a close all of us are 
thinking of our trees and shrubs, and enjoying in 
anticipation the many beautiful sights which will 
be affotded us by budding bush and blooming tree. 
Among the many beautiful shrubs of that season, 
we of Pennsylvania owe more to magnolias for 
what we enjoy than to any other class of plants. 
Some of them bloom before their leaves unfold; 
others, immediately afterwards, and still others, a 
month or so later on. Of those that bloom before 
the leaves expand, the best known are stellata 
(Halleana) conspicua, Soulangeana, obovata (pur- 
purea) gracilis and Lennei. Others not so well 
known are, Kobus, Watsoni, and many hybrid 
forms, such as Alexandrina, speciosa, and Norbert- 
iana. These hybrid forms vary a little from Soul- 
angeana, from which the presumption is they have 
been raised, but hardly enough to be worth keeping 
separate. 
The first of these to flower is stellata. This is 
a Japanese one, of dwarf habit, bearing semi- 
double, fragrant flowers, which are light pink in 
the bud and white when expanded. In sheltered 
spots this is apt to flower too early in spring, ren- 
dering it liable to be caught by late frosts. Because 
of this inclination it is better planted in a more ex- 
posed or less sheltered place, that its flowers may 
not be jeopardized. And as the flowers are white, 
see that the background is not a white wall or 
stone, or the flowers will hardly be perceived. A 
dark leaved evergreen near it sets off the flowers to 
great advantage; and this is true of many other 
flowering shrubs. 
Probably the Chinese white one, conspicua, is 
the next to open its flowers, though Soulangeana, 
known as the pink one, is no more than a day or 
two bell ml i r . These two are the best known of 
all. As has been said of stellata, so of these, the 
