iSo 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
ing the four trees mentioned, by setting a group of 
slirubbeiy close to the house at the corner shown 
in the photograph, by introducing a rather long, 
irregular clump of shrubbery near the sidewalk at a 
point to include the large tree before alluded to, 
and by the use of shrubbery ( after the removal of 
small trees) on the left of the lawn in front of the 
large trees to bring the mass of foliage down to 
the grass line at one or two points. 
RESULTS. 
The effect of these changes would be to open 
up the centre even more than as shown, to work at- 
tractive detail into the frame, and to improve the 
picture itself by introducing the planting at the 
corner of the house. 
It is hoped that the picture and the suggestions 
will together prove helpful to Improvement So- 
ciety members in making their own homes object 
lessons for their neighbors. 
The conductor of this department is now and 
will for some months to come be receiving highly 
important and interesting information from both 
home and foreign improvement organizations. 
The material is so full of valuable suggestions that 
items of practical value from this source will from 
time to time appear in these columns. 
* * * 
The Tioga Point Village Improvement society 
( incorporated) ot Athens, Pa., has been the means 
o( introducing electric lighting into the borough; 
has restored and takes charge of an old, neglected 
cemetery, that was first used in 1779; and has se- 
cured control of an ancient landmark known as the 
“Old Academy,” which was erected in 1827, and 
had long been abandoned by the school officers. 
Ity the expenditure of about $1500.00, this build- 
ing with its grounds, has been saved for many 
years of usefulness, the society using the building 
as its headquarters, holding its meetings there, car- 
ing for it and also maintaining in ita local museum. 
The latter feature should have great educational 
influence on the rising generation as the locality 
must have much historic interest, the town having 
been settled in 1779- 
In addition to this tangible record of the So- 
ciety’s usefulness, it also interests itself in existing 
parks and public grounds and buildings, and in the 
purchase, erection and maintenance of new ones, 
a id assists in such enterprises as may advance the 
growth and prosperity of the borough. 
Mr. Joseph M. Ely, secretary of the society, 
who kindly sends this report, says that they have a 
membership of 3.700 and that while the society has 
been very successful so far, tiny fed it rccessary 
to make new plans for the coming year to renew 
the interest. He considers that the most import- 
ant work accomplished by the society has been re- 
claiming and restoring old landmarks and encour- 
aging citizens to keep their own lawns in order and 
the grass cut in front of their property. — F. C. S. 
COAL CINDER WALKS AND PATHS. 
The New England Association of Park Super- 
intendents have adopted a method of collecting 
experience which recommends itself both from 
practical and theoretical standpoints. From Bul- 
letin No. /, we abstract the following on the use of 
coal cinders for walks and paths: 
J. A. Pettigrew, Boston, has found the use of 
soft coal cinders very satisfactory and economical 
and has used them for years. He uses about five 
inches of the material, first screening it through a 
inch or 5,-^ inch screen, laying the rough on the 
bottom and the fine on top, rolling each course 
with a hand-roller — a horse-roller not being neces- 
sary, besides the use of the horse tending to stir up 
material. Repairs are easily made; a little resur- 
facing with screened cinders is easily applied. Not 
adapted for grades exceeding 4 per cent., on ac- 
count of liability to wash out. 
Theodore Wirth, Hartford, has used coal cin- 
ders to a great extent; they are economical and a 
very well adapted material for the under drainage 
of walks. For the surface of walks, however, he 
always uses four or more inches of reddish gravel, 
having an abundance of that material at hand. 
He thinks the color of the gravel more pleasing to 
the eye and more in harmony with surroundings. 
He fears cinders will crush too fine and become 
dusty, whereas his gravel has splendid binding 
qualities, makes a smooth and firm surface, never 
gets dusty and even with grades of 8 or more per 
cent, docs not wash if the water is occasionally 
thrown off over the border before it becomes of loo 
great volume. He endorses Mr. Pettigrew’s con- 
struction. The one drawback of the gravel walk is 
its tendency to become soft at the time of thawing 
and freezing in the spring, vhich may be the case 
with any walk built of soft material. Cinders as a 
binder between the last layer of broken stone and 
the top dressing of screening in drives, put on one 
inch thick, well washed down, and rolled wet with 
a heavy roller, formed a splendid body with the 
underlying stone. 
P'rom the 1896 report of the Boston Parks, cin- 
ders are considered as less liable to disintegration 
than any other material used there. Their poros- 
ity prevents them trom heaving or getting out ol 
