94 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
lot enclosures is beautiful to look upon just so long 
as there are comparatively few monuments and a 
sufficient number of trees on the sections to diver- 
sify the landscape, but the time soon comes when 
a monument and several markers are to be found 
on every lot, and it is then that the absence of 
shrubbery makes itself appar^ftt and the result is a 
collection of monuments, good, bad and indifferent 
in design, with only here and there tree trunks to 
break the monotony. Ornamental planting along 
the edges of the drives is commendable, but unless 
it is carried into other parts of the sections and 
made to serve as screens or as settings for monu- 
ments the best results are not realized. Where 
original plans do not provide space for such plant- 
ing the owners of large lots should be induced to 
have a certain amount of planting done. The great 
variety of low growing trees and flowering shrub- 
bery especially adapted to such purposes affords 
opportunity for making a selection at a compara- 
tively small outlay. When properly set such shrub- 
bery will make a pleasing back-ground for a monu- 
ment that would otherwise be common place, and 
by diversifying the landscape will assist in beauti- 
fying the entire surroundings and add an ever 
increasing interest. 
PEAKING of Belle Isle Park, Detroit, to which 
so much attention has been recently given, 
it would be difficult to conceive how a city 
could do more for the pleasure and comfort of its 
people than Detroit has done in this charming is- 
land resort. Superintendent Corj. ell’s paper, which 
appears on another page, gives a broad insight into 
the details of park work as related to Belle Isle, 
and offers suggestions which will be useful to park 
superintendents elsewhere. The presence of other 
park officials at the convention recently held in that 
city, is already bearing fruit. The commissioners 
of Lincoln Park, Chicago, who were represented 
there, has already moved in the direction of naming 
the trees and shrubs in such a manner as shall be 
both instructive and useful as well, while it is also 
intended to introduce ice-water drinking fountains, 
a i/iethod of cooling drinking water which has been 
highly appreciated in Belle Isle Park. 
I T is exceedingly gratifying to note a better sen- 
timent unfolding itself in relation to the care 
of that section of the cemetery devoted to sin- 
gle graves. The care or rather in many cases the 
wint of care, in connection with the single grave 
sections of the majority of our cemeteries has been 
a subject of frequent criticism in these columns, be- 
cause we could see that the time was rapidly ap- 
proaching when under the lawn plan system of 
cemetery management, these sections would de- 
mand for physical reasons, proportionately as much 
care as the more favored plots. And it is now 
pretty clearly understood even among the ultra- 
conservative financial managers, that an unsightly 
single grave section is a blot on the cemetery and 
consequently a financial detriment to the contigu- 
ous sections. But it should also be clearly under- 
stood by cemetery managers that there is a more 
or less positively aggressive sentiment in favor of a 
higher consideration for those less favored among 
us. When enlightened governments are trying to 
solve the great problems pertaining to the pension- 
ing of the deserving aged, it shows distinctly that 
old ideas are passing away, and that to keep abreast 
of right thinking on humanitarian questions means 
successful progress. Rather than neglect, more 
care should be expended in such sections in our 
cemeteries and the result would recommend the ef- 
fort and redound sooner or later to the success of 
the association keeping to the front. The follow- 
ing points the moral : “The cemetery commis- 
sioners of Grand Rapid, Mich., have decided to 
beautify the potters’ fields of the cemeteries of that 
city and mark all the graves in a decent manner. 
The grounds will be sodded and the grass kept 
green. ” 
THE DETROIT CONVENTION OF THE AMERICAN 
PARK AND OUTDOOR ART ASSOCIATION, 
The third annual meeting of the American Park 
and Outdoor Art Association brought together a 
representative body of park and cemetery officials, 
superintendents, landscape architects and others 
interested in the laudable work of the association. 
The sessions were held in the Turkish parlor of the 
Hotel Cadillac, and the program arranged for the 
occasion provided for three well filled days, June 
27th, 28th and 29th. Mayor Maybury’s address of 
welcome acquainted the visitors with some interest- 
ing facts concerning the history of the city’s parks 
and its forestry. He said that “Belle Isle’’ Park 
had no competitor and that “ keep off the grass ” 
signs were not in vogue in any of the city’s parks. 
President C. M. Loring and Secretary Warren H.. 
Manning read their respective reports. The fol- 
lowing is a summary of the 
secretary's report. 
It was thought wise by the Council that the papers presented 
at the last meeting and the Constitution and By- laws should be 
stereotyped so that copies of them could be obtained at any 
time. A list of these papers is prepared with their prices and 
it is to be hoped that members will purchase and distribute them 
freely and so help on the good work in which we are engaged. 
A considerable correspondence was carried on in the inter- 
ests of a resolution that the Interstate Park at the Dalles of the 
St. Croix be completed, which resolution has since been acted 
upon favorably by the Wisconsin legislature. 
The attention of secretaries of Park Commissions is called 
to the Library of the association, and they are again requested 
to keep us upon their mailing list. We also wish all literature 
