402 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
Disposition of Leaves and Grass, 
Editor Park and Cemetery : — Replying to your query re- 
gard the disposition of leaves which fall from the trees dur- 
ing the fall. That is just our trouble, they don’t fall in the 
fall, or at least only a part of them. Our growth is mostly 
white oak and many of the trees hold nearly all their leaves 
until actually pushed off by the swelling buds in spring. We 
usually give a couple of rough rakings in the fall and burn 
the leaves. The white oak leaf is very leathery and difficult 
to compost and we think has very little value after com- 
posting, not enough to pay for the trouble, so we now burn 
them and save the ashes. This retaining of the learves by 
certain white oaks seems to be an individual peculiarity, to a 
certain extent. We see it especially marked in the same 
individual year after year. Of two trees equally exposed 
and not over ten feet apart, one may be nearly bare by the 
first of November and the other not showing a bare branch. 
Can some of our “speculative” botanists explain it? 
W. N. Rudd, Supt. Mt. Greenwood Cemetery, Chicago. 
* * * 
Replying to your inquiry, the grasscutters collect the leaves 
as they fall and mix a small portion of them with grass and 
some stable manure, which after thoroughly rotting is re- 
turned to the land. The greater portion is taken without 
the cemetery and burned and the ashes used for top-dressing. 
Dealing with leaves in this way is only a question of room. 
The disposition of the grass is a much more difficult prob- 
lem. I have made a great many experiments without suc- 
cess; that is, I reduced the grass to a condition in which it 
could be returned to the soil, but it was at an expense 
which did not justify the return. It is now piled up with 
the leaves and stable manure and allowed to rot, a process 
which requires at least four years. 
James C. Scorgie, Supt. Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Boston, Mass. 
^ ^ ^ 
Cemetery Literature. 
Editor Park and Cemetery : — I suggest, for the general 
good that each superintendent of a cemetery, when publishing 
a new pamphlet, mail a copy to each member of the A. A. 
C. S. It is a matter of small expense and hardly any ceme- 
tery association will object to bearing it when it is explained 
how great an amount of valuable information will come to 
them in return. It would also seem advisable that the 
secretary of the association receive and file as the nucleus 
of a library all cemetery pamphlets obtainable. In future 
years such a collection might be of unusual value. 
W. N. Rudd. 
* * * 
State Associations. 
Editor Park and Cemetery: — I have just been reading the 
address of President Eurich at our convention in Boston, and 
one portion of it impressed me so much that I want to add 
a little more to it from the standpoint of the smaller ceme- 
tery. I was not permitted to attend the Boston convention 
solely from financial reasons. The superintendent whose 
monthly salary is from $40 to $60 per month cannot afford 
the expense no matter how much he may desire it. Too 
many of our smaller city cemeteries are owned and con- 
trolled by the city counicl, and too often under a committee, 
to say the least,' not interested in cemetery improvement. 
I have seen plainly in the past two years that our associa- 
tion was not reaching this class of cemeteries and they are. 
by far, in the majority. I do not believe there is a superin- 
tendent within a radius of 50 miles of Mattoon, except myself, 
who is a member of our association. 
I believe Mr. Eurich has solved the problem, partially at 
least, by the formation of state organizations. 
I am heartily in favor of taking immediate steps to form 
an Illinois State Association and begin the work of ceme- 
tery education. 
Think for a minute of a city cemetery in a city of 7,000 
inhabitants whose sexton is only required to cut the grass 
twice a year with a scythe, whose position depends on the 
politics of the council and whose salary is $40 per month. 
I can point you to a number of them. Do the people need 
educating? I think so. 
I see Superintendent J. C. Cline of Dayton, Ohio, has 
started the good work in his state and I think we ought to 
take immediate steps looking to the same object. 
Mr. Eurich is right when he says cemeteries of smaller 
communities, above all, are in need of reform, due to lack 
of the proper spirit of reform. And you can get the proper 
spirit only by education. Once get these officials out of their 
own cemeteries, let them see what is being done in other 
places, learn new methods and ideas from those further ad- 
vanced in cemetery work, and a great advance will be made 
in cemetery reform. 
John E. Miller, Supt. Dodge Grove Cemetery, Mattoon, 111 . 
* * * 
The Convention. 
During the past year we have looked forward with pleas- 
ant anticipation to the sixteenth annual convention of the 
Association of the American Cemetery Superintendents. The 
event has come and gone and all who attended no doubt 
have said, as they departed for their respective homes, our 
anticipations have been fully realized and our convention 
has been one of pleasure as well as profit. It is pleasant to 
meet as we do once a year and greet each other with that 
cordial handshake that seems to come from the heart. It 
was pleasant to meet so many new members. The interest 
is growing and will continue to grow. Our work meets with 
the approval of everybody. There are no doubt many ceme- 
tery officials who have not given this matter much thought 
and have not seen fit to be represented at our convention. 
In the care that cemeteries are receiving we are teaching 
people to be more observing of trees, shrubs and flowers, and 
to admire and more fully appreciate what nature has given 
us to enjoy, and in giving these matters thought the mind 
naturally seeks other thought of an elevating nature. 
We trust those who were unavoidably absent at Boston will 
be present at Rochester next year. It was a general disap- 
pointment in not seeing the face of our respected Father 
Nichols at our convention. As we learn, illness in his family 
prevented. Our prayers will go up that the health of Mrs. 
Nichols will be restored and that his life will be spared to 
us for many years yet, and that we will all take him by the 
hand at Rochester and give him the grasp of true friend- 
ship. 
It seems to me that we might benefit our association and also 
ourselves, if more of the members would furnish articles for 
Park and Cemetery. It reaches many cemetery officials no 
doubt who would be interested in what the superintendents 
would write. 
The recent visit of the superintendents to the City of 
Lynn was a welcome one, if I may judge by the conversa- 
tion I have had with many of our citizens. The only regret 
I have heard is that the entire day was not spent with us. 
Hoping the coming year will see more writings from the 
members of our association, I close with kindest regards to 
all. William Stone, Lynn, Mass. 
