PARK AND CEMETERY. 
243 
plant life which eventually develops into 
matured form with its accompaniment of 
the natural facilities for seed or root dis- 
tribution or propagation and the eventual 
increase of the primary trouble previously, 
but only temporarily, held in abeyance by 
the inadequate method of a soil covering 
of but a few inches in depth. 
There is no method that will effectually 
result in the eradication of objectionable 
vegetation which has become established or 
which has previously found congenial en- 
vironment for its growth and propagation 
on areas which are to be used for the 
growth of desirable vegetation exclusively, 
than a treatment of deep and thorough 
plowing of the soil of the area infested 
by the objectionable vegetation. This plow- 
ing serves two purposes : First, it loosens 
the compactness of the soil and disturbs 
the established growth of the vegetation 
of biennial and perennial habit while bury- 
ing the seed of the annuals to the extent 
of greatly lessening the possibility of 
germination and growth ; second, where 
the plowing is properly done it has a tend- 
ency to roll the soil in such a way as to 
bury the perenchymic growth of the vege- 
tation, which eventually results in the 
smothering of the plants and their deterio- 
ration into eventual decay. The exposure 
of the roots to the action of the sun and 
air brought on by this method of plowing 
has its efficacious influence which is too 
familiar to be discussed here. The plow- 
ing should be done in dry weather prefer- 
ably, as this will be of great assistance in 
the killing of the disturbed vegetation. 
After a thorough plowing has been done 
it is advisable to give the area a good disc- 
ing, which method has a tendency to chop 
up the rooted vegetation lying on or near 
the surface aside from cutting up and 
pulverizing the soil. In the process of 
discing it is advisable to cross-disc from 
different directions. This process of cross- 
discing takes longer for its performance, 
but its efficiency will more than compen- 
sate for the extra time spent in its per- 
formance. 
When the discing is finished a harrow- 
ing should be done if necessary in order 
to bring the area to the desired topog- 
raphy and the surface sufficiently leveled 
to assume its natural contours. Where 
seeding is to be resorted to after the har- 
rowing it is advisable to apply from two 
to four inches of well-pulverized soil, par- 
ticularly of a loamy nature, that will af- 
ford the opportunity for a compaction of 
the surface and insure a quick hold for the 
germination of the seed. A rolling of the 
surface after seeding is quite often resort- 
ed to, but a practice which is not of abso- 
lute necessity. An essential requirement 
to insure successful results from seeding 
is the application of water, by spray par- 
ticularly, should the work be done in dry 
weather. When the area is to be sodded 
it is not necessary to resort to any ap- 
plication of a surface covering of fine soil 
unless in cases where the general condi- 
tion of the ground takes on a cloddy 
character or is of a poorly enriched con- 
dition. 
In the reclamation of areas previously 
infested with objectionable vegetation, par- 
ticularly where seed sowing is to be re- 
sorted to in obtaining the desired vegeta- 
tion, the quantity of seed is to be given 
consideration with reference to its appli- 
cation to the size of the ground surface. 
On such areas from three to four bushels 
of seed to the acre is to be recommended, 
and where areas of smaller size than an 
acre are to be sown, a proportionate 
quantity of seed can be used, figured on the 
basis of fourteen pounds of seed to the 
bushel. Arthur H. Helder, 
Landscape Architect. 
Kansas City, Mo. 
The superintendent in question has a 
somewhat unsatisfactory problem to solve. 
It is a pity that the work of reclamation 
was not begun a couple of years sooner, 
even if it were only to cultivate the tract 
and raise a prosaic crop of potatoes that 
the necessary cultivation and fertilizing 
might to a certain extent civilize the soil. 
A covering of a foot or more of good soil 
might smother the objectionable weeds and 
grasses, but I fear that so thin a covering 
as is suggested would only rouse them to 
new life and vigor. 
Half-way measures, especially in ceme- 
tery work, are rarely either satisfactory or 
economical. If this tract could be plowed 
late this fall and left in the furrow ex- 
posed to the frosts of winter, it doubtless 
would tend to kill out the present occu- 
pants of the soil and put it in better con- 
dition to be worked and seeded in the 
spring. If, however, there can be no de- 
lay, the more thoroughly the soil can be 
plowed, disced, dragged and raked, the 
better will be the results. If well-rotted 
manure can be worked in with the new 
coating of loam, and if some clayey subsoil 
is at hand to temper the present light and 
sandy earth, it will all help. The super- 
intendent’s ideas are correct, and the more 
thoroughly the other officers will permit 
him to carry them out the better will they 
all be pleased with the results after the 
matter of expense has been forgotten. 
Frank H. Nutter, 
Landscape Architect. 
Minneapolis, Minn. 
To make a good lawn on the acre tract 
in question, which is covered with a sod 
of tough, wiry grass, as well as with all 
manner of weeds, it is necessary that it be 
plowed thoroughly, so that the present sur- 
face or sod is well turned under. It should 
then be well harrowed and leveled and a 
substantial layer of top soil spread evenly 
over the ground and raked by hand until 
the surface is particularly smooth. It may 
then be seeded and rolled. 
I have never found much gain in at- 
tempting to make a good, smooth lawn 
from a poor, tough sod composed of wiry 
grass and weeds. The covering of the 
tract with black dirt on top of the old sod 
would act as a fertilizer to the present wiry 
grass and weeds mentioned above, and in 
time would grow through the soil and be 
more troublesome than ever. 
O. T. Carpenter, 
Landscape Architect. 
White Plains, N. Y. 
In regard to the handling of this tract, 
I would advise that, first, the weeds now 
covering the ground be burned so as to 
destroy as many of the seeds as possible, 
because even if covered with top soil, these 
seeds will in the course of time get to the 
surface. 
The next step would be to plow the tract 
to a depth of six or seven inches and 
work in with a disc-harrow plenty of ma- 
nure rich in humus. Since the soil is light 
and sandy, it must be treated thus, so that 
it will the more readily retain moisture. 
If the soil is very poor, gravelly or in 
any way unfit for the surface of a lawn, 
not less than three inches of good, rich 
soil should be put on before seeding. 
The fact that the humus or manure is 
worked into the soil before the top soil is 
put on, as well as the fact that the sod is 
turned under, will assist greatly in forcing 
the grass roots to penetrate deeper into 
the soil and thereby be better able to with- 
stand drought. 
It seems to me that it would be a poor 
policy to cover the tract with top soil 
without plowing, as the weeds would con- 
tinue to come up through and the new 
grass would tend to develop shallow roots, 
with a tendency to burn during droughts. 
J. Harry Rich, 
Landscape Architect. 
Syracuse, N. Y. 
Cemetery Planners Wanted. 
Editor Asked and Answered : Our city 
has charge of the cemeteries here, and has 
just purchased forty acres to add to them. 
I am interested in getting them to have it 
properly laid out, and would like to put 
them in touch with some good landscape 
architect who has had experience in this 
line. I have nothing to do with this, but 
thought that I might get someone to take 
the matter up with the Council and get 
things started along the right lines. I 
know they would want someone close at 
hand. Any information that you can give 
me will be appreciated. — W. H., Ia. 
Will you kindly give me the name of 
someone who makes a business of platting 
cemeteries? We have recently purchased 
land for an addition to our cemetery here, 
and we desire to have it platted according 
to modern ideas, and would like to have 
the name of some firm or individual who 
does this kind of work. — W. S., 111. 
You will find on another page of this 
issue the advertisements of a number of 
landscape architects who specialize in this 
class of work. 
