1 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
Rustic Vases at Lincoln Park, Chicago. 
Rustic vases similar to the one shown in the ac- 
companying illustration have long been a feature 
of the summer decorations in Lincoln Park. A line 
of them alternating with trees, marks one side of the 
paralellogram south of the handsome new Palm 
House where the display of summer bedding is 
made. This line borders the canal that divides the 
flowers from the Zoological garden. 
Vases of the same kind are also used this year 
on each side of the Mall, along avenue in the south- 
ern part of the Park. Heretofore, beds of flowers 
have been used in the spaces between the trees that 
outline this broad walk, but the throngs that crowd 
that part of the Park on the nights when the electric 
fountain plays, have in former years had no respect 
for flower beds. So it was found necessary to re- 
place them with something big enough to obstruct 
the passage of the people, and the vases serve the 
purpose well — being large enough to protect them- 
selves. Then, too, they are decorative, when, as 
they always are in Lincoln Park, overflowing with 
vines and flowers. 
The vases are all made by the design shown in 
the cut and are simple in construction although 
ornamental and durable. A cedar post six feet 
long is set three feet in the ground and on it is se- 
curely fastened an octagonal vase one foot in depth, 
thirty eight inches in diameter at the top and thirty 
four inches at the bottom. It is made of three quar- 
ter inch planks covered on the outside with Hem- 
lock bark. Holes for drainage are bored, one in 
each section of the eight pieces composing the bot- 
tom, and the structure is strengthened by cross 
pieces screwed to the bottom. 
In the center of each vase is an upright one foot 
high with a horizontal cross on top. On this cross 
is set another vase made exactly like the lower one 
but smaller, six sided in shape and only twenty in- 
ches in diameter at the top and seventeen inches at the 
bottom. The small vase is twelve inches deep, the 
same as the lower one, so that the top of the upper 
vase is five feet above the ground. 
Some branches are' used around the cedar post 
to add to the rustic appearance as well as to help 
support the lower vase, all being fastened together 
securely. The vases are very strong and are good 
for five years’ use. The upper vases are taken inside 
in winter, but the lower ones are left in position 
the soil being removed when the plants are taken 
out in the fall. 
In spring the vases are filled with good soil to 
which is added bone dust and thoroughly decayed 
manure. The plants used are well grown, flourish- 
ing pot plants so well supplied with roots that 
they are transplanted without checking their 
growth. In the middle of the top vases flowering 
geraniums are used, semi-double varieties being best, 
and only good reliable bloomers being chosen — 
such as La Favorite, white; Mad Bruante, red; Emil 
de Girardin, pink; President Leon Simon, scarlet. 
Good single flowered ones such as Mrs. G. M. Garr, 
white; Rev. Watkins, scarlet; Gettysburg, crimson 
and Mrs. E. G. Hill, salmon, are also used to some 
extent. The upright, stocky Geraniums are sur- 
rounded by Petunias and Verbenas, while around 
the edge Ivy Geraniums, Lobelia Paxtoniana and! 
double Nasturtiums are planted. 
Good sized Geranium plants are used for the in- 
side row in the lower vases, so that they will stand 
A RUSTIC VASE IN LINCOLN PARK, CHICAGO. 
up well around the sides of the upper vase, and 
with them are interspersed plants of the pretty yel- 
low Daisy, Queen of Belgium, also of Fever few. 
Petunias and the odd but bright little annual Cal- 
ceolaria that is raised from seed each year. Out- 
side of these are placed such drooping and trailing 
plants as plain and variegated Vincas, Lobbs Nas- 
turtiums, Lobelias, Verbenas, Maurandia Barclay- 
ana, Lophospermum scandens and Pylogene sua- 
vis or Musk vine, that charming member of the cu- 
cumber family that thrives so well in the sunniest 
exposure, weaving a thick covering of its glossy 
leaves, and dainty, but inconspicuous flowers. In 
rich soil its growth is very rapid. In a short time 
the thrifty plants used in the vases make such good 
