PARK AND CEA\ETCRY 
147 
needed than the cut will yield it should be obtained 
from as near as possible. Be sure never to remove 
earth from a place that would have to be filled 
again in the future, nor place material from where 
it would have to be removed again; place the ma- 
terial once handled where it is wanted and where it 
is to remain. Handling ground twice or even more 
times in consequence of poorly planned work or 
from inexperience is what often makes grading 
much more expensive than need be under proper 
conditions. The only exception to this rule admis- 
sible is when, during progress of grading, it seems 
advisable to save good surface soil for covering 
bare and poorer places. Such soil should be in all 
cases preserved even if need be by double handling. 
Whatever method is employed to move the 
ground let there be regularity and order, so that no 
time counts against the improvement in hand. In 
work of large proportions and on extended scale 
the greater part of grading is done by plow, scraper 
and harrow, but to put on the finishing surface 
handwork alone, guided by an experienced eye, 
will answer. 
Cemetery Law For Oklahoma. 
There are some features of the cemetery law en- 
acted by the last regular session of the Legislative 
Assembly of the Territory of Oklahoma which are 
of general interest. It provides, among other 
things, that all incorporated towns and secret so- 
cieties in the Territory may purchase, take title to, 
and plat lands for cemetery purposes. The amount 
of land that may be so purchased shall not be less 
than ten acres, nor more than eighty acres, and shall 
be without the corporate limits of the town, and 
shall be inalienable for any purpose, except ceme- 
tery purposes. In the case of towns, the trustees 
are first to enter into an optional contract for the 
purchase of such lands as they deem necessary and 
then they are to call an election on the question of 
purchase. When lots are sold, the proceeds arising 
therefrom shall be applied, first, to the surveying 
and platting of the ground and enclosing of the 
same, and the balance to the payment of the war- 
rants issued to purchase it, and after all warrants 
are paid, all funds thereafter derived from the sales 
of lots shall be used to maintain and ornament the 
cemetery. The trustees shall provide for the sur- 
veying, platting, grading, fencing, ornamenting and 
improving all or a part of such cemetery grounds, 
as in their judgment shall seem fit and proper; but 
shall carefully limit the same to the funds available 
for that purpose, except the platting and enclosing 
of so much of such ground as shall be necessary to 
open the cemetery for burial purposes may be done 
in advance of funds received therefor. The trustees 
may limit the number of lots which shall be owned 
by one person, corporation or association at the 
same time; may prescribe rules for enclosing, adorn- 
ing, and erecting monuments and tombstones on 
cemetery lots, and shall prohibit any divison of the 
use of lots, and any improper adornment thereof; 
but no religious test shall be made as to the owner- 
ship of lots, the burial therein, or the ornamen- 
tation of graves or lots. Lots sold to any corpor- 
ation or association shall be used only for the burial 
of their members, or members of their families, and 
all abandoned lots shall revert to the town. 
How to Plant. 
The following which we take from “Letters and 
Instructions” to the Quincy, 111 ., Park and Boule- 
vard Association, by Mr. O. C. Simonds, the land- 
scape architect, is of value; 
The ground where planting is to be done should 
first be thoroughly plowed or trenched to a depth 
of from one to two feet. The trees and shrubs 
should be placed at about the same depth that they 
were before being transplanted. A common fault 
is to plant too deeply, and this, especially, should 
be avoided. Before planting, the ends of the roots 
should be cut off smoothly and the ends of the 
branches trimmed back just a little. After plant- 
ing, keep the ground about the trunks open and 
pulverized for at least two seasons. Where groups 
are planted, let the whole surface be kept loose and 
pulverized by cultivation. Avoid putting plants in 
rows or in geometrical figures. 
Hardy herbaceous plants, such as Golden Rods, 
Native Asters, Perennial Phlox, Iris, Trilliums, 
Crocuses, P^erns, etc., should be planted freely at 
the margin of groups of shrubs, hut the planting 
should not make a continuous boundary. It would 
generally be best to get the shrubs established 
before putting in the herbaceous plants. Water- 
loving plants, such as Cat-tails, Arrowheads, Water 
Lilies, etc., can be used along the margins of 
water, and in the lake hardy forms of Lilies can be 
used. It is not advisable to use bedding plants, as 
they would not harmonize with the character of the 
park and would add materially to the cost of main- 
tenance. The park should be used as a place of 
rest and recreation and should help one to get a 
knowledge of plant-life, especially the native forms 
which one is apt to see any day and which will be 
so much more interesting if we know them by sight 
as we know our friends. 
The oldest obelisk in the -^orld is that near Cai- 
ro, Egypt, which has a history of nearly 5000 years. 
It is growing shorter every year, as the annual de- 
posits of the Nile claim it for burial. 
