PARK AND CEMETERY. 
265 
in places reaching high and perhaps overshadowing 
portions of the street, or again dropping to allow 
looking over and getting a glimpse of what is be- 
yond, serves the purpose of keeping out intruders, 
but does it in such a courteous way that no offense 
is given. Such a belt, living from year to year, 
covering itself with beautiful leaves and perhaps 
flowers each spring, extending its branches in a 
graceful untrimmed way, showing all its pleasing 
colors, which may be especially rich in autumn, and 
decorating itself with fruits which may be retained 
even in the winter time, is an object that adds in- 
terest to one’s journey. The mere fact that it hides 
part of the home grounds, makes them seem all the 
more attractive even to the one in the street from 
whom a portion is hidden. If we were all content 
to look at beautiful objects and admire them with- 
out touching or attempting to destroy them, there 
would be scarcely any limit to the variety and 
beauty which such a boundary belt might have, but 
unfortunately we are not yet sufficiently civilized to 
enjoy the best things. Still, in every locality, there 
is quite a variety of plants that can be used with 
safety. Some persons will rob our beautiful native 
thorns, the sweet briers, and the Japan quinces of 
part of their delightful blossoms, but these plants 
are armed with so many thorns that they are seldom 
destroyed. Prickly ash and the various species of 
barberries, while graceful in habit and covered with 
charming foliage, do not usually test the cupidity 
of passers by. There are many hardy roses besides 
the sweet briers, which can be used to give variety 
to our boundary. Among other plants that can be 
used for this purpose are the buckthorn, the green 
brier, some of the sumachs, dogwoods and vibur- 
nums, blue beeches, ironwoods, and all those woody 
plants which, while attractive in leaf and habit, do 
not present too conspicuous flowers or fruit. 
Such a boundary belt possesses many advan- 
tages aside from its pleasing appearance. It re- 
quires no trimming, and so is inexpensive; if one plant 
dies, the injury done is slight in comparison to a 
similar loss in a formal hedge; it forms part of the 
boundary of the land as well as a protection from 
the street, often it enlarges the home grounds in ef- 
fect, while a fence or hedge would contract them. 
O. C. Simonds. 
THE ONONDAGA, N. Y., COUNT Y_ CEMETERY 
ASSOCIATION. 
The Onondaga County Cemetery Association 
held its annual meeting last month at Syracuse, 
N. Y., and although the attendance was limited, 
much interest was manifested by those present. 
This association of county cemetery officials was 
organized August 27, 1895, with the following 
stated objects: The preservation of printed and 
manuscript records of cemete:ies in Onondaga 
County; the transferring of farm and neighborhood 
burying ground relics to larger cemeteries; the cor- 
rect record of all past and future burials; the col- 
lection, use and preservation of a central cemetery 
library; the preservation of graves and memorials 
of pioneer settlers; the care of the graves and dis- 
semination of information as to the best methods 
of organizing, caring for and improving cemeteries. 
The report of the secretary showed that the as- 
sociation was making headway and gave promise of 
increasing usefulness as the years rolled along. The 
library was especially promising. The old officers 
were re-elected as follows: Jonathan Wyckoff, 
Onondaga, president; William Wilson Newman, 
South Onondaga, secretary; James Barnes, Syra- 
cuse, treasurer. B. C. Chaffee, Syracuse, Jonathan 
Wyckoft, Onondaga, Henry Kinney, Otisco, N. O. 
Hoyt, LaFayette, William Rice, Elbridge, and 
C. W. Allis, Skaneateles, vice-presidents. Luke 
Ranney, Elbridge, B. C. Chaffee, Syracuse, and 
L. S. Cleveland, Onondaga, legislative committee. 
After the routine business the chief feature of 
the meeting was an address by Mr. J. H. Shepard, 
superintendent of Riverside Cemetery, Rochester, 
N. Y. Among much valuable and suggestive in- 
formation he said: “The first cemeteries were crude 
and were simply necessities. They were located 
anywhere, and often on the poorest ground. No 
deeds were thought of. Somebody donated a strip 
of land and it was divided up among the settlers or 
given out piece by piece, as it was needed. At the 
present time the condition of European cemeteries 
is something terrible to contemplate. People are 
buried, sometimes, twelve and fifteen deep. The 
landscape effect never enters the minds of the Eu- 
ropeans. Beautifying cemeteries is simply an 
American idea. About the year 1850 the different 
States passed general cemetery laws, and since then 
the work has been going on.” By the way of ad- 
vice he added: “Don’t leave mounds over graves. 
Don’t have anything artificial but the monument, 
and the least of those the better. Headstones and 
corner-posts should be level with the lawn. Plant 
your trees in odd numbers, but plant some singly. 
Have your shrubs in masses, but keep each kind 
separate. Use the native shrubs. A large variety 
of trees or shrubs is not necessary. Don’t plant 
too many evergreens. They are too sombre and 
melancholy looking. The perpetual care of graves 
is the only proper way to make a cemetery beauti- 
ful. Charge enough for the lots and guarantee 
perpetual care.” He then told those from the rural 
sections how to go to work to get people interested 
and how to clean up their cemeteries. 
