254 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
Its most common form is that of a shrub from 
six to fifteen feet high. In this form it is grown in 
tubs for ornament, and ranks with Azaleas, Olean- 
ders and other flowering, hard-wood shrubs, that 
grow to large sizes in their natural habitat. It ex- 
ceeds Azaleas and Oleanders in the delicious per- 
fume of the pure white flowers, and rivals the Cam- 
ellia Japonica in handsome form and rich, shining 
foliage. The young plants naturally develop sev- 
eral shoots that remain almost vertical until the 
plant is well above surrounding shrubbery, when 
the branches and the leaves spread literally. The 
growth is healthful and lush, ranging from six inches 
to five feetin one season, and the flowering branches 
develop three growing points, the central one gen- 
erally outgrowing and somewhat extending beyond 
the other two, in quite a graceful manner. The 
contrasted surfaces of the leaves, which are from 
three to six inches long, thick, and brightly enam- 
eled on the green upper surface, and silvery whitish 
green on the under, flashing in the sunlight, makes 
the tree beautiful when not in bloom. A student 
of botany would, at once, with no previous knowl- 
edge of the Sweet Bay, pronounce it a strong and 
vigorous tree, merely from examining the leaves. 
The upper epidermis is very thick; there is a double 
and frequently a triple row of palisade cells, and 
the lower epidermal cells are extended into two 
celled needle pointed hairs as long as the leaf tissue 
is deep. Besides this mat of silky down, there is 
wax on the lower epidermis, so the leaves have 
immense assimilative and self protecting, inherent 
powers. The blooms are succeeded by small cones 
filled with pendulous red seeds, alike, except in 
size, to the Magnolia grand i/lora. Even the cones 
are showy. In fact this lovely tree has not a single 
homely feature. 
Transplanted to arboretums, or grown in tubs 
in northern cities, the writer is confident it will be 
a favorite, and success will attend the experiment. 
While not an iron-clad tree in northern sections, it 
is one of great adaptability. 
From the car window, or deck of a steamer, 
during the months of May and June Magnolia 
glauca, in the edges of the wild-woods, in fourteen 
states, lifts its shining green crown, sparkles in the 
sunlight and sheds abroad exquisite perfume from 
thousands of gleaming cup shaped flowers, never 
failing to attract the attention of all on board, that 
have any love of nature, or appreciation of the 
beautiful. As a tree for shading lakes, or water- 
ways it is unsurpassed. Trees are like people; the 
right one in the right place, frequently-merits more 
praise than a conservative person takes the risk of 
expressing. 
G. 7'. I'r.nnan. 
W improvement associations. 
Conducted by 
Frances Copley Seavey. 
Leave, the World a pleasanter hlace than you found it. 
PLAY GROUNDS FOR SMALL CHILDREN. 
xAs the subject of small parks in the poor and 
densely populated districts of cities is being actively 
considered in various parts of the country, this seems 
a good time to suggest that the rights of children to 
small or too frail to battle for a chance to amuse 
themselves with older stronger or rougher children, 
deserves consideration. The necessity for such 
playgrounds is not limited to large cities nor to 
poor and densely populated districts. They are 
needed, oftentimes, where they would at first 
thought be supposed superfluous. 
This does not necessarily mean elaborate or ex- 
pensive preparation and need not mean a park even 
in name, though trees, groups of common, hardy 
shrubs, and vines allowed to build themselves into 
natural bowers, will add immensely to the enjoy- 
ment of the children. But even a vacant lot fitted 
up with temporary shelter from sun and rain, with 
swings and sand piles, and from which large quar- 
relsome boys and girls are strictly excluded, would 
prove a boon to scores of children even in small 
towns where there would seem to be space and to 
spare for their games in home gardens. Chil- 
dren are gregarious, and it is right that this qual- 
ity should be encouraged. No lesson in life is of 
greater importance than learning to live with one’s 
fellow' creatures. It is of such importance that to 
older persons it sometimes seems to be life’s lesson. 
Youth i s the time to acquire with ease this as well 
as other knowledge. Only children, ( those without 
brothers or sisters), are numerous in America and 
they are frequently at a disadvantage when old 
enough to enter school, because they have not come 
in contact with other children in every day life. 
They have to learn how to meet them and the trials 
of early school days are greatly increased in con- 
sequence. 
It is true that the natural liking of small children 
for each other leads them to seek such companion- 
ship, but, too often, they are driven to the street to 
find it, and that is a dangerous play ground for 
little people. 
Some parents may object to allowing theii; chil- 
dren to frequent a public playground — but that is 
illogical for they will play w'ith other children some 
where if they are to be found, and it would seem 
better to know that the}- are at. an appointed place 
