Editorial J^ote and Comment. 
The Wellesley, Mass., Billboard Suit . 
Much interest in manifested in the suit to test the 
new law regarding billboards in Wellesley, Mass. The 
glaring billboard near the depot of the Boston & Al- 
bany R. R. is the casus belli and the Park Commission 
has been carefully preparing for the battle and ap- 
parently have the support of many men of wealth in 
the vicinity. It would appear that the billboard owners 
are encouraged by the result of a New York case, 
which was appealed, and the verdict of the lower court 
set aside, on the score that the Park Commission had 
exceeded its rights, in that it had no power in regard 
to property outside of that which directly came under 
its jurisdiction. An importance is given to this case 
for the reason that the action represents the park im- 
provement sentiment throughout the state, and Massa- 
chusetts has shown a decided public sentiment against 
the billboard nuisance. The billboard crusade, when- 
ever and wherever it exhibits activity, is one of the 
most striking illustrations we have of the conflict be- 
tween civic betterment and low-graded commercialism, 
the latter involving a decided trespass upon the legiti- 
mate rights of every citizen to enjoy his surroundings 
without the obtrusion of his neighbor’s trade person- 
ality. 
^ ^ ^ 
The Modem Cemetery Superintendent . 
The question of the fitness of a man for the position 
of superintendent of a modern cemetery is nowadays 
a broad one. As a matter of fact, looking to the re- 
quirements in up-to-date cemetery practice, he must be 
a broad man ; not only a good organizer, manager and 
superintendent of the cemetery in a general sense, but 
he should be a good gardener and have more or less 
knowledge of forestry. It is in no restricted meaning 
that the term gardener is used ; it intends that the 
knowledge of plants shall not be confined to the mere 
sticking them into the ground and cultivating them to 
a successful development, but in addition, an under- 
standing of the demands of landscape art so that the 
effect of arrangement and planting shall be the best 
possible with the means at command. Then, again, the 
landscape development of a cemetery calls for a knowl- 
edge of trees, and some acquaintance with forestry is 
practically more or less essential. The development of 
knowledge in these details of the last few years make 
it a necessity that the man who has charge of a modern 
cemetery must not only have the present ability, but 
the intelligence to keep himself in touch with the trend 
of the times — constantly informed of the latest prac- 
tice connected with his work in hand. In relation to 
this view of what the cemetery superintendent of to- 
day should be, the several associations of the country, 
organized for development and improvement in cem- 
etery matters, might take up this large question of fit- 
ness and endeavor to exert an influence on cemetery 
corporations to the end that the essential requisites in 
a superintendent should not be overlooked in such ap- 
pointments. After all it is another matter of educa- 
tion, to which cemetery superintendents’ associations 
might well devote attention. Missionary work in this 
direction might be quite effective in transforming the 
smaller cemeteries into more attractive burial places. 
^ ^ ^ 
Tree Planting on the Pacific Coast. 
The tree planting movement has evidently taken hold 
in California. It has been suggested by the Town and 
Gown Club of Berkeley, the exclusive woman’s club of 
that university town, that an ordinance be framed and 
passed to compel the planting of trees in the streets 
and thoroughfares by the adjacent property owners. 
Whether this could or could not be made compulsory, 
it serves to show the awakening to the idea of civic 
betterment, and this, in connection with the proposition 
for a joint observance of an Arbor Day with the newly 
organized tree planting club of Oakland, is a sugges- 
tion of zeal in a cause which pays large interest on 
every investment of intelligent effort. 
^ ^ ^ 
Gardening and Elementary Agriculture in Common 
Schools. 
As an indication of the available literature for the in- 
struction of both teacher and scholar of the common 
schools in nature study, school gardening and elemen- 
tary agriculture, one need only peruse circular No. 52, 
recently issued from the office of Experiment Stations, 
Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. It is 
published to “suggest a few books which would aid 
the teacher just beginning nature study work to get 
the proper point of view ; supplementary aids for the 
teacher, interesting nature stories for pupils, up-to- 
date elementary texts on agriculture, suitable for pupils 
in the last two years of the grammar school and the 
first two years of the high school, and publications 
which might serve as a nucleus for a public school ag- 
riculture library.” It is a very serious question in the 
agricultural districts how to cultivate and maintain an 
interest in agriculture and agricultural pursuits in the 
the growing generation, which is to the keen observer 
in some large measure due to the luck of intelligent in- 
struction and attractive presentation. Agriculture, in 
its various departments, if intelligently undertaken, af- 
fords absorbing interest, and more certain results, than 
the majority of callings, and it is the very foundation 
of a nation’s prosperity. As a fact, however, it has 
been strangely neglected in our educational system. 
