320 
PARK AND CEME-TE-RY 
Topiary Gardening. 
To those that have visited old English and Dutch 
gardens the “Topiary” — a garden of tree sculpture — is 
well known. But the majority of Americans are not 
familiar with this branch of gardening (?) of which 
a revival is being attempted in this country. The topi- 
ary consists of trees — mostly evergreen — pruned into 
imitation of anything that the eccentric owner’s or gar- 
dener’s fancy may desire, save the natural and noble 
beauty of the tree itself. 
That this distortion of tree growth is as absurd 
as the reproduction of all kinds of plant sculpture — by 
some termed vaudeville -gardening — through the aid 
of foliage plants, which became such a prominent fea- 
ture of our parks a few years ago, must be evident to 
the true gardener and lover of nature’s unquestioned 
beauty. 
Whether it is the imitation of animated life or 
other objects by tree pruning or foliage plants, each 
work must be classed with the exhibitions of the dime 
museums, and from the frequenters of these institu- 
tions draw its admirers. 
Topiary gardening reached its zenith in England 
in the sixteenth century and was supposed in those 
days to represent the highest skill to be attained in the 
noble profession of gardening. But with the higher 
intellect of succeeding centuries the profession threw 
off its yoke of barbarism and emerged into the gar- 
denesque or naturalistic type of gardening, which, with 
a few minor changes, has remained until the present 
day. Is it not a fact that whereas sculpture and archi- 
tecture never have been outclassed since the glorious 
days of Greece and Rome, gardening has steadily de- 
veloped into an art demanding recognition and a place 
alongside that of other arts ? 
When Lord Byron said : “Man will build stately 
first and garden finely next, as if gardening was of a 
higher intellect,” he spoke the truth. The gardens 
of early histor}^ — mere parts of the house — were not 
the creation of the gardener, but the architect, and in 
these so-called gardens stone and mortar played the 
most important role. Eirst, after the profession of 
gardening had gained recognition, came the change to 
“real gardens,” with trees, shrubbery and flowers. 
True types of the architect’s products are still seen in 
Southern Europe to-day and especially in Italy in the 
so-called Italian gardens. Americans, charmed by this 
type of gardening, have been tempted to introduce 
them into this country, and deplorable indeed are the 
majority of those seen in the eastern states where they 
have gained a foothold. To create an Italian garden 
without the stately cypress is impossible. These gar- 
dens had their origin in southern countries and only 
there attain their true character. Admitting many 
beautiful points of the Italian garden, is there one in 
the topiary? The first represents art; does the lat- 
ter? Topiary gardening has no claim on the profes- 
sion as an art and its revival should be resented by 
every true gardener. 
There always will be men with little intellect and 
plenty of money who, for the sake of popularity, will 
turn their gardens into museums of freaks where even 
the stalwart moonshiner would hesitate to pass 
through at the midnight hour. James Jensen. 
Trees in Paris Streets. 
In the early years of the Second Empire Baron 
Haussmann submitted to Napoleon III. his famous 
plans for beautifying Paris by opening new and broad 
streets and avenues, and said : 
“The ideal modern city should have its streets lined 
on both sides with trees. Trees not only lend grace 
and attraction to the streets of a city, but awaken in 
the spring of the year a certain municipal sentiment, 
as it were. Trees soften the character of the citizens, 
and make them easier to govern. Trees do not inter- 
fere with healthful sunshine in autumn and winter, 
when it is most needed, and afford in summer shade, 
and keep the air pure and well supplied with oxygen. 
Paris ought to have a tree for every inhabitant.” 
The idea of Baron Haussmann has been taken to 
heart by the municipal authorities of Paris, where no 
department has been more scientifically developed 
than that of street trees, which forms a separate sec- 
tion, distinct from the administrations intrusted with 
the care of trees growing in the parks and public gar- 
dens, which have special budgets of their own, and 
which form the great breathing places, or the lungs, of 
the city. 
To give an idea of the scale upon which these great 
lungs of Paris are kept in healthful action, it may be 
mentioned that the net receipts derived by the city of 
Paris for renting chalets and places of entertainment 
in the Bois de Boulogne, Champs Elysees and Bois de 
Vincennes amount to $226,000 per annum, represent- 
ing only a small fraction of what the city annually 
expends upon its lungs, or air reservoirs. The Paris 
trees are renovated, when necessary, by recruits from 
the acres of pepinieres, or “tree schools,” in the en- 
virons of Paris. 
Whenever a Parisian tree shows signs of decay, a 
huge truck drawn by four oxen appears, and by an 
ingenious system of leverage the tree is pulled up by 
the roots, without injury, by means of a gigantic for- 
ceps. Another tree is at once brought from the near- 
est “tree school” and planted in the place of the invalid 
