PARK AND CEMETERY 
106 
spoke of a disease which attacked the white oak in the 
vicinity of Chicago and made it dangerous to plant that 
tree there. 
Mr. James Currie, of Milwaukee, told of a disease 
which attacked the cut-leaved birch, causing it to die in 
its prime. Mr. George M. Painter, of Philadelphia, 
gave a remedy of the late Thomas Meehan, which he 
said had lengthened the life of this tree in his vicinity 
for several years. It consists in digging a trench about 
the tree, cutting off the little fibrous roots and filling 
with well-decomposed manure. 
Mr. John C. Dix, of Cleveland, had some elms about 
30 years old whose roots were coming too near the sur- 
face. Mr. S. M. Hyer, of Kansas City, recommended 
the ax for this trouble, the only precaution necessary be- 
ing to trim the top to fit the roots. 
Mr. Frederick Green, of Cleveland, wanted to know 
how to banish the red' spider from the golden elder 
which it had greatly damaged in Lakeview. Mr. John 
Thorpe of Chicago thought the trouble with the golden 
elder was lack of nourishment and suggested cutting it 
close to the ground, putting on four or five inches of 
good, rotten manure and sprinkling thoroughly. 
The red or slippery elm also came in for some share 
of the discussion and was generally condemned as an 
ornamental tree by a number of the members. 
Dr. Henry Wohlgemuth, of Oakridge Cemetery, 
Springfield, 111., read an interesting paper giving remin- 
iscences from his long experience in cemetery affairs. 
Dr. Wohlgemuth has visited most of the well-known 
cemeteries of the country, and has been in touch with 
their progress for many years. He gave short, descrip- 
tive accounts of the cemeteries in most of the large cit- 
ies of the country and summarized the characteristic 
and distinguishing features of each. 
The question box, which was to have followed, was 
postponed until the next day’s session and the conven- 
tion adjourned. 
Second Day, August 24th. 
The convention assembled at the Auditorium at nine 
o’clock and proceeded to Graceland Cemetery by way 
of the Elevated Railway. After a brief inspection of 
the handsomely appointed offices the visitors assembled 
at the chapel where the convention picture was taken, 
and the morning session opened. 
The Question Box, left over from the preceding 
day’s session, was the first business, and brought out 
a number of interesting points for discussion. 
The question, “What is the best gutter for ceme- 
tery use?” brought out a verdict in favor of brick. Mr. 
A. W. Hobert, of Lakewood, Minneapolis, described 
his method of making a flat brick gutter following the 
contour of the road, making the sod on the outside form 
the other side of the roach When the brick is laid 
Portland cement is swept over and into the cracks and 
takes on nearly the color of the macadam roads. Dr. 
Wohlgemuth, of Springfield, 111., and Mr. George M. 
Painter, of Philadelphia, also testified to the efficiency 
of brick. 
Killing weeds on roads and drives was the next sub- 
ject brought up. Several of the superintendents had 
tried the chemicals prepared for this purpose, and had 
found them effective, but rather expensive. Mr. Cur- 
rie found sprinkling with dry salt in the spring when 
vegetation starts a good remedy, and reported the cost 
to be only about five cents a hundred square feet. Mr. 
Frank Enrich, of Detroit, was trying crude oil, and 
expected satisfactory results. Mr. Hobert had just 
purchased a weed burner, and found that one applica- 
tion was sufficient to kill the weeds but had not used it 
long enough to compare the expense with other meth- 
ods. 
The secretary noted a communication from Mr. H. 
Wilson Ross, of Newton, Mass., former president of 
the association, regretting his inability to be present, 
and expressing his wishes for a successful convention. 
A paper by Mr. R. D. Boice, of Geneseo, 111., on 
“Perpetual Care,” was next on the program. 
Mr. Boice gave some careful and interesting deductions 
from his observations since 1880. He sketched the history 
of perpetual care and told what some of the early contracts 
embraced. He described the contract now in use in Dodge 
Grove Cemetery, which he considers the safest one. It guar- 
antees the cutting of the grass, caring for the graves and 
keeping of the lot in good condition in perpetuity. Care is 
taken to distinguish lots under perpetual care from those 
not cared for as this is considered a good means for stimulat- 
ing other lot-owners to'embrace its provisions. 
The difficulty of starting a perpetual care fund and the ne- 
cessity for a careful approach to the lot owner were noted. 
These difficulties are especially noticeable in country ceme- 
teries. 
The different forms of cemetery government as affecting 
perpetual care were considered. A cemetery should not be a 
money making concern, and its funds should be used for the 
beautifying and care of the grounds. Perpetual care should 
be held as a very sacred trust, and its administration demands 
the highest type of business integrity. 
Mr. Fred R. Diering, of New York, led the discus- 
sion which followed. He told what perpetual care in 
Woodlawn embraced and estimated the approximate 
cost at about $100 or $150 an acre, including the fol- 
lowing items : Mowing and fertilizing the entire im- 
proved surface ; raising and resodding mounds and de- 
pressions ; top-dressing and sprinkling avenues and 
walks and keeping them free from weeds ; keeping 
grounds free from leaves ; caring for trees and shrubs, 
and other smaller matters. He emphasized the neces- 
sity for providing for a fund at an early date, and of 
encouraging a bequest fund. 
Mr. W. N. Rudd, of Chicago, thought it unwise to 
guarantee to do certain specific things forever for a 
given sum as specified in Mr. Boice’s contract, owing 
