146 
PARK AND , CEMETERY . 
greeted by the members of the Westerly 
Granite Manufacturers’ Association, who 
entertained them at a luncheon at the 
Rhode Island House. The gathering was 
entirely informal, but the hospitality of the 
Westerly granite men was very much ap- 
preciated. 
Immediately after luncheon the visitors 
were shown around some of the famous 
granite quarries and cutting plants located 
in Westerly, after which the trip was fin- 
ished by a drive along the shore road to 
Point Judith and Naragansett and then 
back to Providence. 
ASKED AND ANSWERED 
An exchange of experience on practical matters by our readers. You 
are invited to contribute questions and answers to this department . 
Preventing Sinking of Graves. 
Editor Asked and Answered. What is 
the best way to prevent single graves from 
sinking in? — B. C., 111. 
The question which your inquirer asks 
v/ould not seem to indicate that he has had 
much cemetery experience and is a rather 
hard one to answer. 
The problem of sunken graves is one of 
the most serious that we have to contend 
with in cemetery management and involves 
considerable expense to keep them raised. 
In all our perpetual care sections we al- 
ways do this as soon as possible after they 
have fallen in, that is, we raise and level 
all sunken graves in the Spring and Fall 
when this work can best be done. 
In the single grave sections which are 
under perpetual care of grass we also do 
this work without charge and as most of the 
sinking in occurs during the Winter and 
Spring there are comparatively few sunk- 
en graves during the Summer months. 
There is only one way that I know of 
to prevent the sinking in of graves and that 
is by using some sort of a permanent vault, 
such as brick, concrete, slate or steel. 
These are seldom used in single graves 
owing to the expense and limited space, 
and they are not very practical. The only 
way to prevent an unsightly single grave 
section is to sell single graves with per- 
petual care. 
In our old single grave sections which 
are not under perpetual care we fill the 
worst sunken graves as fast as possible 
with the surplus grave dirt, when inter- 
ments are made in the section, instead of 
carting it away; and we have just re- 
cently regraded our oldest sections and 
filled in the sunken places without charge. 
There is no way of preventing the sinking 
in of single graves except as above noted, 
and it seems to be one of the best argu- 
ments for perpetual care of grass in single 
grave sections. H. S. Adams, 
Supt., Forest Hills Cemetery. 
Jamaica Plain, Mass. 
I consider this question an ambiguous 
one, as the term of “sinking in” may be 
differently construed. Does the propounder 
of the question mean the sinking or settling 
of a grave, which is caused by the collapse 
of the box or the compacting of the earth 
which has been replaced on the top of 
the box, and which constitute conditions 
that I do not believe can well be humanly 
avoided, or does he mean the caving in of 
the grave at the time of the excavating 
thereof, or the opening of an adjoining 
grave. For this latter objection, many 
more or less feasible schemes have been 
evolved, the most of which are either very 
expensive or very impracticable. 
Past issues of your paper, I think will 
show at least several articles on the sub- 
ject of cribbing single graves, with a view 
of preventing the caving thereof. 
W. C. Grassau, 
Supt., Greenwood Cemetery. 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Replacing Hide-Bound Sod. 
Editor Asked and Answered : What is 
the best way to replace old and hide-bound 
sod on cemetery lots? — F. R. C., Mo. 
Generally speaking, such conditions can 
be much improved by the usual process of 
combing or scarifying the sod with a fine- 
toothed steel rake, so as to thoroughly loosen 
the surface. An application of wood ashes 
can then he put on and again thoroughly 
raked in so as to incorporate the ashes 
with the loosened soil. If wood ashes are 
not available sifted bituminous coal ashes 
can be used, as recommended by F. D. 
Willis, superintendent of Oakland Ceme- 
tery, St. Paul, Minn. The surface is then 
in condition to receive the grass seed with 
a coating of good garden soil, and it is 
especially recommended to use plenty of 
Dwarf White Clover with other lawn seed. 
If this is done very early in Spring, the 
usual rains that season ought to produce 
quite a growth of grass and if kept watered 
during Summer months, good results may 
be looked for ; much depends upon the 
character of the soil, which may require 
some experimenting before lasting results 
can be looked for. 
Frank Eurich, 
Supt., Woodlawn Cemetery. 
Detroit, Mich. 
In replacing old and hide-bound sod on 
cemetery lots no half-way method will be of 
any avail. The present conditions must be 
changed completely. If the area is large 
enough to plow, this should be done, but 
for various reasons it will probably be 
necessary to spade thoroughly, breaking up 
the sod as well as possible. If the soil has 
become sour a liberal dose of lime should 
be raked in. After raking very smoothly 
either seeding or sodding must be done, 
depending upon the size of the area, the 
cost, and the desire to .get the space cov- 
ered quickly with turf. If there has been 
too much shade and tree roots it would 
be wise to remove some of the least de- 
sirable varieties of trees to permit sun, air, 
and moisture to do their work to prevent 
the sod from becoming poor again. 
Paul L. Mueller, 
Landscape Architect. 
Minneapolis, Minn. 
Planning a Small Cemetery. 
Editor, Asked and Answered Dept.: I 
wish some suggestions in landscaping or 
designing a small cemetery. Our cemetery 
is 318 feet by 469 feet. Let me hear from 
you and oblige. — F. H., S. D. 
The series of articles on the planning 
and developing of a new cemetery, now ap- 
pearing in Park and Cemetery, will, we 
believe, offer you many suggestions. No 
one can give you definite advice on your 
own cemetery without making a personal 
study of your proposition on the grounds. 
The first thing you do should be to get a 
report and a plan for the development of 
your ground from an expert cemetery 
landscape architect. Any of those advertis- 
ing such service in Park and Cemetery 
could give you the advice and assistance 
you need. 
Rights of Trustees and Lot Owners. 
Editor, Asked and Answered : In the 
suburbs of Boston there is a cemetery of 
about four acres, incorporated in 1841. A 
large percentage of the lots are uncared 
for and their representatives are not 
known. A plan is before the trustees to 
beautify and improve the cemetery by the 
planting of trees. Our president claims 
that as the annual meeting was advertised 
in accordance with our By-Laws, that those 
who do not attend impliedly assent ; that 
those who do, should, by a majority vote, 
transact the business of the corporation ; 
and, as the lot owners who did attend re- 
ferred the question to the trustees, they 
in so doing, implied permission to plant the 
trees as per plan, if the trustees so wished. 
Is our president correct? If not, what ac- 
tion should be taken in order to obtain 
the right? — H. A. M., Mass. 
The opinion of your president is cor- 
rect, except so far as it may be contrary 
to the provisions of your By-Laws and the 
Act under which the cemetery association 
was incorporated. The By-Laws and Char- 
ter should be carefully read to see that 
the proposed action does not violate any 
of the provisions contained therein. It is 
a fundamental principle governing all elec- 
tions and corporate and association meet- 
ings, that persons who have been duly noti- 
fied of an election or meeting, by personal 
notice or by advertisement, and who fail 
to attend are presumed to consent to the 
action taken by the majority of those who 
do attend. It is quite certain that a ma- 
jority of those who attend a cemetery as- 
sociation meeting are entitled to transact 
