142 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
boulder monuments offer a variety in monumental 
work oftentimes unique and under certain circum- 
stances very characteristic. The only fear is that 
in the case of a local popularity such a class of 
monuments may be detrimental rather than appro- 
priate. It is quite in line with present cemetery 
practice to take control of the question of monu- 
ments, and it is very probable that in the future 
the lines may be more tightly drawn, but it is also 
true that in making their laws cemetery officials 
must be guided by mature judgment, and must 
allow their lot owners all possible freedom in respect 
to monumental work that the present and future 
interests of the cemetery suggest as reasonable. 
I T might, perhaps, be an invidious work to draw 
comparisons of the good that the various efforts 
of man have accomplished for the good of his 
fellow humanity, but it is certain that the botanist 
and horticulturist have ministered in a very positive 
way both to the pleasure and welfare of the civilized 
world. And yet, with comparatively rare excep- 
tions, do we find monumental honor paid to their 
memory. There are some few statues in Europe 
erected to the great in these callings; there is also 
a duplicate of the Stockholm Linnseus erected in a 
Chicago park ; but the profession has had little 
honor in this direction. In a certain sense these 
men who have done so much for the comfort of the 
race do not need such memorials. Their names are 
household words with the lovers of landscape gar- 
dening, trees, flowers and plants, and these are 
legion and are increasing every day as the higher 
civilization reaches out. We say, then, they do not 
need monumental record ; the simplicity of charac- 
ter which close communion with nature develops 
also shrinks from the thought of such an expression 
of public gratitude; but nevertheless the people 
owe recognition to the men who have been the 
means of bringing about such inspiring and helpful 
conditions in landscape and horticulture as bless 
this country today. Among others, think of 
Strauch and Downing, for instance, and the results 
of their life’s work! Throughout the country, it 
may justly be said, that all our parks and ceme- 
teries, in their landscape development, owe tribute 
to such as these. “Peace hath higher tests of man- 
hood than battle ever knew,” and memorial art 
should be invoked far more freely to honor her 
heroes. 
W E are hardly prepared to say that the in- 
creasing demand for mausoleums is due 
to any more pronounced objections to 
earth burial than have always existed. It might 
perhaps be explained by the fluctuations of demand, 
which occur in most lines of trade, and lead to the 
temporary boom in one class of production over 
another. It is clear, however, that the growing 
tendency to ostentation, observable in certain di- 
rections may lead those financially able to indulge 
such weakness, into choosing a mausoleum fora fam- 
ily burial place and memorial, for the reason that it 
affords more display for a given amount of expendi- 
ture. This added to the fact that it overcomes any 
prejudices that may exist against earth burial, is a 
telling argument in favor of the mausoleum. Great 
improvements have taken place both in the design 
and construction of this class of memorials, and 
that there is a wide field to cover is evidenced by 
the range in cost between the unpretentious tomb 
designed to contain two or more bodies to that of 
the Pacific Railroad magnate costing a quarter of a 
million dollars, or the Mackay mausoleum in Green- 
wood cemetery, Brooklyn, of still greater expendi- 
ture. Another feature to note in the mausoleum 
is the distinctive quality of art that is being drawn 
upon for interior decorations, — elaborate mosaic 
work and flooring, stained glass windows of high 
artistic excellence, original designs in doors and 
grilles of cast bronze, all prove, not only the diver- 
sity of interests combining in the development of 
this field of memorial work, but that artists of abil- 
ity must be called upon for their best efforts in these 
several departments. Turning to the material of 
exterior construction, while by far the greater num- 
ber of vaults are being built of New England gran- 
ites, marble and Bedford stone are also being used 
for some very expensive structures. Diversity of 
material as well as of design is of course desirable, 
and to avoid monotony, necessary; but no less care 
is required in one than the other in certain re- 
spects, for a memorial, faultless in design and con- 
struction, will fail of its purpose if built of mater- 
ials incapable of withstanding the rigorous climatic 
influences to which it is exposed in most cases. De- 
sign and construction, however, are the two gov- 
erning features of the mausoleum. The architect 
who can design a palatial residence or a monster 
business block, frequently fails completely in carry- 
ing out his plans for a mausoleum which on paper 
appeared to be a “pretty design.” Construction of 
this class of memorials has not received that careful 
attention so essential to their permanence, and in 
view of the increasing demand, it is of the utmost 
importance that both their design and construction 
should be entrusted to those who by practical ex- 
perience have proved their competency for such 
work. Mistakes which can be remedied at com- 
paratively small cost in many phases of monumental 
work are generally disastrous in mausoleum practice, 
for although the principles involved are few, they 
are vital. 
