189 
PARK AND CCMETCRY. 
the grounds. No 
mounds on graves 
exceed five inches 
in height and few 
are above three 
or, four inches. 
No restrictions 
are as yet placed 
upon the design 
and form of mon- 
uments, except 
that they must be 
in every way 
proper, and only 
one is allowed on 
each family lot. 
All foundations 
are however built 
by the cemetery 
association, which 
at least prevents 
faulty construct- 
ion in this most 
particular feature 
of cemetery work. 
In regard to 
family vaults, the 
cemetery author- 
ities exercise a 
censorship and all designs must be submitted for 
approval and accepted by the executive committee 
before any work is commenced upon them. 
Hitherto the cemetery has not been provided 
with modern water facilities, but the coming sum- 
mer will see a commencement of this important 
matter. 
The Chapel and Receiving Vault combined, of 
which two views are given, is constructed of Onan- 
daga gray limestone, and cost some $20,000. The 
receiving tomb is arranged under ground and 
has a capacity of 200 bodies. The total number of 
interments is about 9000, and the average number 
per year at present is 375. 
The management of this cemetery does not con- 
sider a greenhouse a necessary adjunct and in con- 
sequence Oakwood has none. Greenhouse plants 
can be bought so cheaply, and, moreover the plant- 
ing of tender flowers is discouraged, so that green- 
house facilities have no attraction for the officials 
Great care, however, is bestowed upon a small nur- 
sery, where a great variety of the best and choicest 
evergreens, deciduous trees, shrubs and hardy per- 
ennials are cultivated. This nursery furnishes ample 
stock in great variety for the ornamentation of the 
grounds as well as to accommodate lot owners. The 
plants are set out in the nursery very small and 
DEDICATION VALLEY. 
thus become acclimated and when required there is 
choice enough of good material for immediate ef- 
fect which very rarely fails to grow right along. 
This is a policy which should be pursued more par- 
ticularly than it is in all our cemeteries, and it 
would be well as a rule, if more attention were paid 
to the wild plants and shrubs indigenous to the lo- 
cality. Many of our leading landscape men bestow 
much care in this direction and produce effects with 
familiar plants and bushes hard to be excelled in 
any other way. 
The illustrations given speak well for the ap- 
pearance of the cemetery. At the point illustrated 
by the view of “Dedication Valley” the services of 
dedication were held in November, 1859. Many 
fine monuments are scattered about the grounds. 
The cemetery employs from twenty-five to 
thirty men, and in the spring augments the force 
by the addition of forty to fifty women, mostly Ger- 
man. The latter do the 1 ight work of raking up 
the leaves and cleaning up the grounds generally, 
and they appear to do the work satisfactorily. 
This is unique in cemetery work. The original sur- 
veyor of Oakwood was Howard Daniels. To the 
superintendent, Mr. Chaffee, is due the improve- 
ments now continually in progress, which are in line 
with progressive modern ideas. 
