232 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
BATTERSEA PARK, LONDON, ENGLAND. 
Of all the parks of London that of Battersea af- 
forded me the most pleasure when visiting several 
of them in the summer of 1895. Battersea is one 
of the people’s parks, so called to distinguish them 
from the Royal Parks. 
The people’s parks are under the management 
of the London County Council, and are managed 
by their park’s committee. Battersea, Victoria, 
Finsbury and other ones are of this class, 
while the Royal parks are such as St. 
James’, Regent’s and Hyde. 
Beautiful Battersea, as it is to-day, is 
wonderfully different from the bog it once 
was, for, as I have been informed, the 
site was at one time but little more than 
a malarious swamp. The art of the land- 
scape gardener has made of it one of the 
most beautiful parks of London. The 
park is a favorite resort of cyclists, the 
splendid roads surpassing those to be met 
with elsewhere. 
The Council appears in no way nig- 
gardly in its appropriations of funds for 
the maintenance of the park, everything 
appearing to be done in the best manner, 
to give the people enjoyment. 
Two views of the park are herewith 
presented, both of them embracing a portion of the 
lake. Your readers will agree with me that both 
are most beautiful. The trees and shrubs fringing 
the bridge are composed of such sorts as Ailanthus, 
Cotoneasters, Rhustyphina, Berberis in great var- 
iety, clumps of furze, purple filbert and Jasminum 
revolutum. Close to the water, especially on the 
island, such kinds as Heraclium giganteum, Poly- 
gonum cuspidatum and P. sachalanense, Spirea 
sorbifolia, Paper mulberry, Brousonetia papyrifera, 
and like plants are freely used. 
The aim everywhere in such situations has been 
BATTERSEA PARK. 
to produce a likeness of nature, and well have the 
efforts been rewarded. Visitors from the rural dis- 
tricts can hardly realize that they are in the midst 
of mighty London, so rural and quiet are the sur- 
roundings. And how the people do enjoy these 
parks. It was a blessed thought which first led 
to the formation of city parks. The elm does 
splendidly in these parks, and though, if I mistake 
not, the elm leaf beetle which plays havoc with the 
foliage of our trees, came to us from England, it 
does not appear to injure the foliage of the trees 
in their parks or elsewhere there. 
I may have mentioned before in some of my 
letters that the thick, round headed growth of trees 
is peculiar to England, in comparison with those of 
our own forests. The bushy growth will be noticed 
in the view which takes in the bridge, but there 
are some Lombardy poplars in the background 
which are evidently well placed. 
The trees and shrubs of England do not put on 
the rich autumn dress of ours. They keep up their 
dark green hued foliage to the last. 
Joseph Meehan. 
The largest known flower is said to be the Raffl of 
Sumatra, whose diameter is nine feet, and which smells 
like a piece of putrid beef. 
BATTERSEA PARK. 
