PARK AND CEMETERY 
47 
presently the whole community will be blinded by a 
dazzling array of Turkish symbols and glaring colors. 
It is true that a grassy parkway in the middle of a 
wide street is a g'ood and excellent thing. Unexcep- 
tionable, in fact. Even with the addition of stars and 
scrolls of brilliant hues it is better than an unpaved, 
muddy and neglected street. 
But why try to make every town and village in the 
land a cheap, reduced edition of a large and wealthy 
city ? 
Tender bedding is at once the most expensive and 
least attractive form of planting. Its first cost in the 
preparation of the ground, in planting material, and in 
the labor of setting such material out, is about the 
same as the first cost of establishing permanent plant- 
ing consisting of strictly hardy shrubs, vines and per- 
ennials. But the tender material must be renewed each 
spring, and to maintain it properly during the four, 
or at best five, months of its existence probably equals 
its first cost. It has the further drawback of leaving 
unsightly spots of bare ground throughout the remain- 
ing seven or eight months of the year. 
On the other hand, if hardy material appropriate for 
the location and purpose and suited to the climatic and 
other conditions,, is used the ground is occupied 
throughout the twelve months, the plants practically 
care for themselves after the first season, the planta- 
tions increase in beauty from year to year, and they 
are attractive at all times. This is not all : most of 
the plants used will increase, and at the end of from 
three to five years enough material may be safely and 
advantageously removed to make other plantations 
where needed ; the first material may be chosen for 
the purpose of attracting song birds whose presence 
in large numbers will add to the pleasure of resi- 
dents and serve to advertise the town and enhance the 
material welfare of business men and of property own- 
ers ; while the fortunate boys and girls raised in such 
an environment will become educated in bird and plant 
lore, and the life and character of the entire population 
be raised to a higher, happier plane. 
;fc >}c 
If it is bad art to sprinkle a village park or street 
parkway with vegetable symbols of faith, hope and 
charity, the signs of the zodiac, etc., what shall be said 
of the practice of splashing the banks of sylvan stream 
with attempts at plant reproductions of stars, elephants, 
butterflies and umbrellas? Even the possessor of the 
much talked of “feeling for nature” should shudder 
and turn pale at such sights. 
* * * 
It would be a failure of duty, having called attention 
to these things, to neglect to speak a good word for 
annuals. They are all good in their places, and certain 
of them are useful and appropriate among hardy 
plants. The chief objection urged against hardy stuff 
is its failure U> look attractive the first season. Those 
who are impatient, or who feel the necessity for 
securing a good effect at once (or as soon as 
possible), and this is often essential in improvement 
work, can do nothing better than sow the seeds of 
certain annuals among the permanent plants. The 
very best choice is tall or climbing nasturtiums. They 
always look well and nearly always thrive. Then there 
is mignonette, Drummond phlox, sweet alyssum, pop- 
pies, dwarf morning glories, or convolvulus minor (sel- 
dom seen, but pretty), and, for something taller, sev- 
eral of the small, single sunflowers are excellent, as 
are also corn flowers in all colors. The last two have 
the distinct advantage of seeding themselves, so that 
when once sown they are usually to be found every 
year if not crowded out by weeds. This is true of 
poppies, too. Two desirable bi-ennials, the tall even- 
ing primrose and nicotiana affinis (fragrant ornamental 
tobacco), have the same habit of self-seeding and are 
to be highly recommended for use in the borders of 
shrubbery plantation. Dahlias are good to aid in pro- 
ducing an effect the first season, but of course they 
add to the labor, as the tubers, if they are to be saved, 
must be taken up as soon as the tops are frosted, and 
they require thorough watering during summer. The 
use of annuals involves rather more care and attention 
than the hardy plants alone, but the extra water and 
cultivation that they demand insures the better success 
of the permanent stuff, so that it will nrobably occupy 
the ground nicely the second season. 
Frances Copley Seavey. 
NOTES. 
It is interesting to note that the action of the Stock- 
ton, Cal., Arbor Club, mentioned in these notes last 
month, resulted in the appointment and observation 
of Arbor Day by several improvement organizations 
in neighboring towns and counties. Notable among 
these is the Highway Improvement Club of San Jose, 
which, in observing March ioth as its Arbor Day, 
planted nearly or quite as many trees as the Stockton 
Club, as well as considerable shrubbery. A circular 
letter urging co-operation and containing helpful in- 
formation relating to the proposed work was previ- 
ously sent to every school, both public and private, in 
Santa Clara county. The idea was to interest every- 
body, but especially the children, in planting, caring for 
and protecting trees and shrubbery on school grounds 
and on highways. 
Just as many beautiful trees thrive in other parts 
of the country as in the far west. Shall we allow the 
Pacific slope a monopoly of arboreal beauty on its road- 
ways ? Why not plant a thousand trees on the roads 
adjacent to your town? Some shrubbery would look 
well, too. Don’t you think so? Summer visitors will 
note the improvement and you will like it yourself 
