38 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
SPRING PICTURES IN GRACELAND CEMETERY 
The illustrations in this number show 
some of the attractive trees, shrubs and 
flowers in Graceland Cemetery as they 
usually appear in May. The seasons vary 
greatly at Chicago. Crabapple trees have 
been known to be in full bloom on the 
first of May and there have been years 
when they did not blossom until about the 
end of the same month. Although it is 
gradually to incorporate in Graceland Cem- 
etery. 
A cemetery has some advantages over a 
park as a place where we can have beauti- 
ful effects of vegetation. There is less 
danger of flowers being picked and of 
plants being destroyed. The grounds are 
usually open only during daylight. As 
there are no games and usually no crowds 
for those who have passed on ; a place 
most likely to remind one of the pleasant 
hours that may have been lived with the 
departed. Here in April one will find great 
masses of the yellow forsythia, or the Cor- 
nelian cherry. Underneath these and other 
bushes and trees the ground will be cov- 
ered with snowdrops, scillas, hepaticas, 
crocuses and ‘other early flowers. Then 
ELM AT LEFT; CRABAPPLE BLOSSOMS AND YOUNG OAK WILLOWMERE IN GRACELAND; A BEAUTIFULLY FRAMED 
LEAVES AT RIGHT; GROUPS OF THORN APPLES IN DIS- WATER PICTURE WITH CLASSIC MEMORIAL IN THE DIS- 
TANCE. TANCE. REFLECTED IN WATER. 
generally conceded that Graceland is beau- 
tiful at any time of the year, and especially 
so during May and June, and although 
there are bits of scenery here and there 
which one would not care to change, the 
effect as a whole has not yet reached the 
perfection desired by the management. A 
brief statement of some of the spring ef- 
fects which those in charge aim to intro- 
duce may be of interest. 
Nearly everyone loves spring. As the 
days lengthen and the buds on the trees 
and bushes begin to swell, we imagine the 
beauty of the coming leaves and flowers, 
but as we actually see these in all their 
freshness of color, doubtless many have 
thought that the charm of the reality far 
exceeds one’s imagination. At this season 
of the year people like to go to the woods 
to see the growth and the wild flowers. 
One often exclaims with delight at the dis- 
covery of an area profusely covered with 
hepaticas, bloodroots, trilliums or adder’s 
tongue. The snow-like blossom of the 
Juneberry, appearing before any of the 
neighboring oaks are in leaf, gives one joy. 
The unrolling fronds of the ferns, the 
green patches of moss, wild violets and 
wild phlox, the little discoveries and sur- 
prises give a delight which is greater than 
that usually given by the more artificial 
effects in a park. It is this charm of the 
native woods, of the close association with 
nature, which the management hopes 
of people the birds feel more at home. 
In many cases there is continuity of man- • 
agement. An effect may be desired which 
will require years of growth. The trees 
and bushes may be planted which are to 
produce this effect and these are not likely 
to be disturbed by changes in politics or 
changes in administration. Of course, the 
use to which a cemetery is put makes it 
difficult, although not impossible, to create 
as beautiful landscapes as are attainable in 
a park or a private estate, but often there 
are opportunities for lakes, wooded ra- 
vines, wild thickets of native growth, quiet 
retreats for birds and an abundance of 
wild flowers. The cemetery should, in 
fact, be a paradise for birds. The open 
lawns supply angleworms and other food. 
All forms of vegetation supply food for 
insects, which in turn are eaten by our 
feathered friends. The various plants pro- 
duce berries and seeds as an additional 
supply of bird food, while the birds more 
than repay us for what they get by their 
beautiful forms and colors, their graceful 
motions, their songs, and by protecting us 
against insect enemies. 
A cemetery is often called a “city of the 
dead.” Some shrink from visiting it on 
this account, but really it should be a place 
for the living, a place to be visited for its 
beauty and the inspiration which nature 
gives ; a place which on account of its 
natural beauty is the most fitting memorial 
come the plum and cherry blossoms, tulips, 
bleeding-hearts and trilliums. Very early 
one finds the blossoms of the red-berried 
elder, to be followed later by its brilliant 
fruit. The young leaves appearing on all 
the trees and bushes are almost as pleasing 
as the flowers. The new growth pushing 
out through the brown leaves that have 
formed a protecting ground cover during 
the winter is always interesting. Very 
quickly this cover of last years’ leaves is 
itself hidden by the green leaves of srnili- 
cina, erythronium, uvularia or some other 
early flower that takes advantage of the 
abundant sunshine before the shade-pro- 
ducing leaves appear. With the early 
flowers, or perhaps preceding them, come 
the robins and song sparrows, to be fol- 
lowed a little later by thrushes and cat- 
birds, and still later by the various war- 
blers, orioles and other songsters. These 
harbingers of spring seem as welcome each 
year as they were the year before. Some 
things grow tiresome or monotonous, but 
this is never the case with the character- 
istic features of returning spring. In May 
come the crabapple and thornapple blos- 
soms, the latter often extending into June. 
We often read of the cherry blossoms of 
Japan and the pilgrimages made by people 
for the purpose of visiting these flowers. 
A friend of the writer, who visited Japan 
in the cherry-blossom season, said that the 
crabapple blossoms on his own place in 
