PARK AND CEMETERY. 
227 
ing a pyramidal habit, has a wider base in propor- 
tion to its height than pyramidalis. 
Both of them are excellent trees for cemetery 
use as well as for parks, as many superintendents of 
such places are finding out. Their upright habit 
fits them for many a position where trees of spread- 
ing growth would not answer. Such a position the 
one represented occupies. It stands to-day 
about thirty feet high, with a diameter of fifteen feet 
at its widest part. It is, certainly one of the finest 
specimens of its kind in these parts. It is rather 
rare in cultivation in this country, but is more com- 
mon in the nurseries of Europe. The well-shaped 
evergreen on the left of the oak is the lovely Color- 
ado Blue spruce, Picea pungens, an evergreen, the 
pretty color of which recommends it for public 
grounds. Some sprays of the Bhotan pine, Pinus 
excelsa are visible on the right of the oak. This 
oak has been growing in the park for about twenty 
years. It is placed in a portion of the park where 
evergreens of much the same style of growth are 
growing, and nicely it suits the place. What pleases 
many persons is to see this oak keep its foliage 
green until hard freezing weather comes. This is 
characteristic of the Pmglish oak and all its varieties, 
as also of the Turkey oak, Ouercus cerris, a species 
much like the English, but with finely divided 
leaves. When our native species are bereft of foli- 
age, which occurs after the close of November, is 
when these English sorts are most appreciated, 
and chiefly because of their green foliage at that 
time. Although these upright varieties of oaks often 
bear acorns freely, seedlings from them rarely keep 
their character, but revert back to the common 
form. 
Joseph Meehan. 
Ornainental Planting for Parks and Public Grounds — I. 
The following extracts are taken from an “ad- 
vance” copy of a paper read before the Massachu- 
setts Horticultural Society by Mr. Wm. S. Pigerton, 
superintendent of the Albany, New York, Parks. 
In this issue the matter relates mainly to the 
planting of larger areas or parks proper: 
The fundamental elements of any large park are 
not its roads, walks, bridges, buildings and other 
accessory features requisite for the public accommo- 
dation in the use of the grounds. These may rather 
be classed as necessary evils. The essential element 
is the landscape, its surface undulations of hill and 
dale, or lawn; its trees, shrubs, single or in mass, 
in grove or copse, its deep woods or open glades, 
and its broad stretches of green sward or water. All 
of these elements in their endless combinations are 
constantly modified by the varying conditions of the 
point of view, the atmosphere, and the seasons. 
The true ideal of park recreation, to persons worn 
by the harrassing turmoil of city life, is the refresh- 
ing enjoyment of all that may be seen and felt amid 
the placid manifestations of nature embodied in the 
landscape. 
There is nothing really different in the general 
theory of landscape gardening as applied to the or- 
namentation of parks from that of ordinary grounds. 
The apparent difference lies in the special applica- 
tion to some particular individual undertaking. 
In actual practice one park must be treated dif- 
ferently from other parks, this difference of treat- 
ment being dictated by the situation, surroundings 
and topography. No general plan can be outlined 
that would suit the demands of every locality. The 
general idea and keynote, however, to most success- 
ful examples of park construction in this country 
(and there are no better examples abroad), is the 
simple and natural effects, or meadow-like stretches 
of lawn, circumscribed or bounded by ornamental 
plantations properly distributed and massed. The 
main repose and highest enjoyment of parks reside 
chiefly in these spots. 
* * -Jle 
As a general rule each element in the scenery 
should be simple, natural and unobtrusive, so that 
the passing observer is impressed with the manner 
in which views are successively opened before him, 
through the innumerable combinations into which 
the individually modest elements constantly rear- 
range themselves; views which often possess every 
quality of complete and impressive landscape com- 
positions. 
* * 
“A landscape in order to be beautiful, must have 
all its parts stamped with a common idea, and con- 
tributing to a single sensation. If it gives the lie 
here to what is said yonder, it destroys itself, and 
the spectator is in the presence of nothing but a 
mass of senseless objects.” 
* * * 
The landscape gardener must take into consid- 
eration all the impressive and natural elements of 
the locality, in the planting of any park of sufficient 
extent to have a distinctive landscape character. 
The general aim of his work will be to make a har- 
monious combination with the dominant character- 
istics which nature has already stamped upon the 
site. He will seek a fuller or richer development 
of the essential leading features, simply softening 
what is hard, clothing what is bare, filling out what 
is meagre, and enriching what is beautiful, all in 
harmony with the original type. 
He will thus avoid all novel conceits, all con- 
spicuous eccentricities, all incongruous intrusions. 
