8 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
nency. If too near, the city will grow up 
about it too quickly, and the time will come 
when it will be a question of removing the 
dead to make room for the living. On the 
other hand every unnecessary mile means 
wasted time, energy and money, which in 
the aggregate amounts to considerable in a 
year. Many cities prohibit burials within 
the city limits, others only within certain 
districts. Five miles from the center of a 
city has been suggested as the proper dis- 
tance. This would be too close in most of 
our. larger cities and too far in the smaller 
towns. In a city that is growing length- 
wise, say, along a water front, a cemetery 
could be safely located at the side of the 
city, much closer to the center of the city 
than at the ends. 
Next, the ground itself should have 
most careful attention. In the first place, 
a gently rolling tract lends itself to the 
most artistic development in the naturalistic 
style. In some localities such a site would 
not be available, and careful designing to 
give interest to a more flat and uninterest- 
ing one would be necessary. Where flat 
landscape is typical of any district it is the 
problem of the landscape architect to make 
a design which emphasizes the particular 
beauties of the type. Gentle hills and val- 
leys may be developed artificially in sem- 
blance of the forms of nature, but unless 
handled with much care and knowledge 
of ground forms the deception will be ap- 
parent and not worth the expense. A more 
hilly location, not too precipitous, is not ob- 
jectionable (if free from rock), and, in 
fact, may be made quite picturesque. It 
should be expected that cost of roads and 
grading on such a site may be more than 
on a level one ; also that the cost of main- 
tenance on account of washing may be 
greater, but a saving in the first cost of the 
ground or advantage of strategic location 
may compensate for the disadvantages. In 
all cases of sloping ground, preference 
should be given to the sunny slopes, the 
south, east and west, where the ground 
will be more free from snow and frost than 
on the north slopes. High land should be 
selected if possible. The American people 
seem to have a well-defined dislike to low 
ground, either for the living or the dead. 
At least the greater portion of the ground 
should be higher than the logical entrance 
point. 
Opportunities for lakes and streams 
should never be overlooked, as nothing 
adds so much interest to the landscape 
beauty as water. The water supply for 
these should be certain, and the soil suit- 
able for retaining water in the proposed 
lakes. 
The soil should be suitable for the 
growth of trees, shrubs and other plants, 
as well as a lawn, a rich loam being ideal. 
A light sandy soil is preferable to heavy 
clay or gravel. The subsoil is also of 
much importance because of ease in ex- 
cavating. It should be sufficiently solid to 
prevent caving, yet not so hard as to be 
expensive to handle or so impervious as 
to hold water, good drainage being very 
desirable, although lack of it is a fault 
that can be remedied without prohibitive 
cost. Rock is very undesirable, first, be- 
cause the expense of excavating a grave is 
often more than the greatest possible 
charge for the service ; second, because 
blasting is dangerous to the workers and 
visitors in a cemetery, is apt to damage 
lawns and monuments, and is inconsistent 
with the peace and quiet of the surround- 
ings. Large boulders may also cause much 
difficulty. In some localities it has been 
necessary to trench the ground to a depth 
of five or six feet and remove all the large 
boulders. Swan Point Cemetery at Provi- 
dence, R. I., is a conspicuous example of 
this. A border wall constructed of these 
boulders would be most picturesque, but the 
expense of the work is worthy of careful 
consideration. 
Valuable topographical and geological in- 
formation can often be received from the 
state geological bureaus. In some cases 
maps are made of the vicinity of the larger 
cities, showing not only the street arrange- 
ment and topography, but the soil and rock 
outcrops in quite a complete and detailed 
way. 
Last, but of considerable importance, is 
the question of native vegetation upon the 
land. A more perfect landscape result in 
the end could no doubt be obtained with 
land entirely free from the interference 
to roads and grading apt to be caused by 
the native growth. However, it requires 
years and money to plant and grow trees, 
and for this reason a reasonable amount of 
native timber is desirable. Even a few 
groups or single specimens of well devel- 
oped trees will do much to give a setting 
and finish to the newer planting and a 
background to various views. Certain kinds 
of trees, such as some oaks and more espe- 
cially walnuts, are not desirable permanent 
trees because the dripping from the leaves 
will stain the monuments. Nevertheless, 
these may give a good temporary effect and 
can be removed as the other trees grow; 
or perhaps the happy day will come when 
the monuments can be eliminated, at least 
be secondary to choice trees. The quiet 
repose, mystery and solemnity of more 
heavily wooded land or groves of larger 
trees seem to be especially suitable for the 
resting place of the dead. While present- 
ing more difficulties in the way of road 
location and grading, such land could not 
be considered objectionable. Some intelli- 
gent thinning of the, trees might be neces- 
sary in order to get enough light and air 
beneath for the growth of grass and shrub- 
bery. 
All these considerations may seem rather 
complex, and no one piece of land is usual- 
ly ideal in all respects. However, here is 
where the personal element of judgment 
appears, in weighing the comparative mer- 
its, and the advice of one with experience 
and familiarity in cemetery location and 
planning is invaluable. 
Study or Cimm Location ia aw .about Kansas City 
. 
