PAR.K AND CEMETERY 
3()8 
and perfect record of lots, graves and interments. The 
next is to begin work in a cemetery before full and 
complete plans are prepared. Another is to waive any 
of the ndes of the Cemetery Association. All rules 
must be general in their application. It is better to 
begin to sell lots away from the entrance and reserve 
a space so that visitors will not have to pass through 
the most unsightly part of the grounds. 
Mr. McCarthy said the suggestion to begin selling 
land at the back part of the cemetery was a good one. 
Other speakers advocated the reservation of land 
about the entrances to cemeteries to be developed along 
park lines. 
Thomas White of Fairhaven, Mass., read a conserv- 
ative paper on “Extremes in Cemeteries.” He said ; 
“No matter how higlily or how lightly our departed friends 
have been esteemed by us, we are prompted to embellish their 
last resting places in a manner not only incompatible with our 
means but also totally out of order with the surroundings 
and to the detriment of the general appearance of the imme- 
diate neighborhood. Memorial Day, he thought, had devel- 
oped into a time for the most elaborate and extravagant deco- 
rations by private individuals ; and this had led to the plac- 
ing on graves of things which in course of time came to lose 
their freshness. Emblems and flowers were often out of 
harmony with the- surroundings, and caused much perplexity 
to the superintendents, who found it necessary to decide be- 
tween a removal of the decorations of a particular grave and 
the detrimental effect on the whole section of allowing such 
decorations to remain. It was a happy circumstance that a 
man should be honored by the Grand Army and many orders 
and societies, ,^he said, but when each separate organization 
came to plant A' metal emblem or decoration on the grave the 
result was anything but beautiful. The speaker thought that 
the authority of the directors of the cemetery should make 
itself felt in some .way so that there should be a restriction 
on the placing of metal markers and other decorations that 
tend to make themselves obno.xious as they lose their fresh- 
ness. 
Mr. McCarthy said that if he could write like Mr. 
White he would want his salary increased. He was op- 
posed to the multiplication of metal markers on the 
graves, which seriously interfere with the work of 
clearing the ground. A discussion was precipitated 
on the question of putting perpettial care signs on lots. 
The sentiment of the speakers was against their use 
in new cemeteries, the sentiment apparently being in 
favor of having the special care lots speak for them- 
selves. 
Mr. Morton of Boston thought that it was all right 
to let the Grand Army, Odd Fellows, etc., etc., put 
markers on graves, and that it was well not to be too 
fast in making radical changes in the principles of 
cemetery management, especially in the direction of 
the park and lawn idea. 
An interesting item of the forenoon’s business was 
the sending of a telegraphic despatch to the founder of 
the association, known among the members as “Father 
Nichols,” but more properly Charles Nichols of New- 
ark, N. J. Mr. Nichols is now eighty-four years old. 
was long the superintendent of Fairmount Cemetery in 
his city, and is now, in view of his work there, regu- 
larly employed in the position of advisory superintend- 
ent. This is only the second meeting when he has not 
been present since the first convention of the organiza- 
tion at Cincinnati, in 1887. The despatch embodied the 
greetings and good wishes of the association. 
Thursday cAfternoon. 
After lunch, the members of the convention found a 
dozen carriages and two large tally-hos in front of the 
hotel and soon filled them. The drive was out through 
the Back Bay Fens, Olmsted Park, Francis Parkman 
Road, by Jamaica Pond, through the Arnold Arbo- 
retum and Franklin Park to Copley Shelter, where a 
short halt was made to^ get out of the rain. Fortu- 
nately it was only a New England shower and the 
party soon started again and drove through Eorest 
Hills Cemetery tO' the crematory of the Massachusetts 
Cremation Society. The Martin Milmore memorial 
and the mausoleum behind it, recently illustrated in 
Park and Cemetery, was passed en-route and attracted 
much attention. The next attraction was Mt. Hope 
Cemetery and the “herbaceous borders” of J. H. Mor- 
ton, its superintendent. It being understood that the 
chief feature of Boston’s “herbaceous borders” were 
salads, sandwiches, coffee and ice cream without limit. 
The host and hostess proved so entertaining the party 
found that they were overstaying their time limit, and 
in lieu of a vote of thanks gave Mr. and Mrs. Morton 
three cheers and a tiger as they swung around the cir- 
cle and started on the return trip to the city. 
Thursday Evening Session. 
The president introduced Mr. Archibald Smith, who 
read a paper on “Grasses.” He said : “There are 
3,500 varieties of grasses. The grass family are of 
more value to domestic animals or man than all the 
other vegetable products combined. The planting of 
grasses is of comparatively recent origin. At the 
beginning of the century only a few grass seeds were 
offered for sale. He gave a synopsis of experiments 
in grain culture and advocated the use of a number 
of varieties of grass to be sown together for the best 
results. The mixture will vary according to circum- 
stances. The Boston parks are planted with the “Olm- 
sted” formula, consisting of 20-lbs. of Rhode Island 
Bent, 20 lbs. of Red Top, 20 lbs. of Kentucky Blue 
Grass and 10 lbs. of White Clover. Blue Grass should 
be used in all permanent mixtures. Rhode Island Bent 
is the best grass for the lawn. Red Top is often sub- 
stituted for it because of the similarity of the two. 
Red Top will be used more in the future than it has 
been in the past. White Clover will probably always 
be a part of all popular lawn mixtures. Pure seeds, 
free from weed seeds or chaff, should be used even if 
a little more costly.” 
