107 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
to the fact that a decrease of interest rates or an in- 
crease of cost of labor may at some future time render 
it impossible to perform these improvements for the 
interest on a certain sum. Mr. Pirie said that this 
difficulty was met at Forest Home by providing in the 
contract only that the income should be expended for 
the perpetual care of the lot, and that they did not 
guarantee to do certain things forever. Their contract 
also provided that one per cent of the perpetual care 
fund be carried over to the general reserve fund of the 
cemetery. Mr. A. K. McMahon, of Newport, R. I., 
said that perpetual care charges in his cemetery ranged 
from $200 to $2,000, according to what service the lot 
owner desired, and that their calculations were fig- 
ured on a basis of 2 y 2 per cent. The care specified in 
the contract was guaranteed in perpetuity. 
On motion of Mr. J. H. Morton, of Boston, a com- 
mittee of seven was appointed to consider and report 
as soon as possible on the relations which should exist 
between the National Association and the various state 
associations, and how best to secure harmony and co- 
operation in the efforts of all of the organizations. 
When the program was completed, the visitors were 
met in front of the chapel by four tally-hos and as 
many automobiles, and taken for a drive about the 
grounds, where the beauties of trees, shrubs and lawn 
and the magnificent planting effects of Graceland were 
a source of much admiration. The chapel, nestling 
among its fine growth of trees, the lakes and border 
planting, and the art with which monuments and other 
evidences of man’s handiwork are concealed with trees 
and shrubbery all furnished suggestive lessons in land- 
scape work that can nowhere be seen to better ad- 
vantage than here. A beautiful souvenir book of 24 
photogravure views in the grounds was mailed to mem- 
bers who registered at the office, and will serve as a 
pleasant reminder of the scenes in Graceland. The drive 
was continued out through the north-shore suburbs to 
the Ravenswood Club, where luncheon was served, 
after which the trip was resumed to Rose Hill Ceme- 
tery. An organ recital was heard in the handsome May 
Memorial Chapel, and the superintendents informally 
inspected the receiving vault and the cemetery grounds. 
The return to the city was made by way of the Sheri- 
dan Road, along the lake shore through Lincoln Park, 
and down the Lake Shore Drive, Dearborn avenue and 
Michigan avenue. 
The evening session was opened with nominations 
for officers and the reports of committees. 
A paper by J. H. Shepard, of Syracuse, N. Y., on 
“What Can Be Done for the Country Graveyard,” was 
read by the secretary, as Mr. Shepard was unable to be 
present. Mr. Shepard said that the small amount of 
money available for maintaining the country cemetery 
can best be utilized by depending almost entirely 
on natural objects to beautify the grounds. Fences, 
arches, buildings and other artificial objects are unnec- 
essary, unsightly and extravagant; they should be 
few and as inconspicuous as possible. He counseled 
planting trees singly and in groups but never in 
straight lines, and shrubbery masses in every available 
place. 
Mr. Frank Enrich, of Detroit, Mich., led the discus- 
sion which followed. He noted the lack of progress in 
improvement of country burial grounds, and said that 
this work should be the mission of the state associa- 
tions, whose members should visit the country cemeter- 
ies and personally interest themselves in spreading the 
gospel of reform. Individual instances of good work 
by village improvement societies and enterprising com- 
munities here and there show what can be accom- 
plished. No set rules can be laid down ; each case must 
be studied and worked out individually. 
Mr. Boice emphasized the necessity of starting with 
an accurate system of records, and Mr. Druckemiller 
said that responsibility for the management of the 
country cemeteries must be more definitely fixed by 
law. Others told of examples of neglect they had seen. 
Mr. D. D. England, of Winnipeg, Man., told an in- 
spiring story of the regeneration of the city cemetery 
in Winnipeg, and showed a number of photographs il- 
lustrating the remarkable improvements that had been 
accomplished there by his efforts in arousing public 
sentiment. 
Mr. Bellett Lawson, Jr., suggested that a number 
of small country cemeteries might join forces for im- 
provement and employ one superintendent jointly who 
could perhaps have charge of from six to ten burial 
grounds. Others advised missionary work on the part 
of members of the association in getting the officials of 
the smaller cemeteries into the organization, and in 
spreading the literature of improvement through the 
country press. 
The report of the committee on location recommend- 
ing Washington, D. C., as the next place of meeting, 
was adopted and the date left in the hands of the execu- 
tive committee. 
Mr. Fred M. Farwell, of Chicago, chairman of the 
legislative committee of the Illinois Association of 
Cemeteries, was to have presented a “Resume of Pro- 
posed Legislation for Cemeteries,” but was not present. 
Mr. Rudd, president of the Illinois Association, took 
his place and spoke of the need for modern cemetery 
laws in the state of Illinois to replace the fragmentary 
and incomplete provisions now in effect. The Illinois 
Association is to formulate a cemetery law for presenta- 
tion at the next legislature. Some of the provisions 
suggested for it are : That every cemetery^ which claims 
exemption from taxes, be required to set aside a per- 
centage of the receipts from every foot of ground sold 
for perpetual care and to give the state supervision over 
these funds, as it has over banks and building and loan 
i 
