372 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
sizes, outline and proportions, such as were 
formerly used by lot owners in accordance 
with their own ideas and tastes, to indicate 
as conspicuously as possible the boundaries 
of their individual lots. 
This practice may still be in vogue in 
many cemeteries today and can have no 
other than a harmful and disturbing effect 
to the general appearance of the respective 
grounds. Corner stones of such type have 
no place in any modern cemetery, a fact 
which was recognized by most of the lead- 
ing cemeteries many years ago and proper 
measures were taken to regulate this mat- 
ter. 
The desire of individuals to define the 
outlines of their burial lots in some dis- 
tinctive manner undoubtedly was the 
primeval cause for the erection of enclo- 
sures of wood and iron, stone or plant ma- 
terial, and we may assume that the private 
boundary marker which usually projects 
above the surface of the ground to a vari- 
ous extent is the last remnant of this dis- 
astrous idea and should be relegated to the 
things of the past. 
In some instances I have observed where 
individual lots were distinguished by means 
of changes in grade, which possibly elimi- 
nated the use of corner stones entirely, a 
practice which is equally to be condemned, 
inasmuch as it destroys the purpose to pro- 
duce a natural and pleasing surface over 
the entire ground and detracts from the 
harmony of the scene. 
All well-governed cemeteries have regu- 
lations relative to corner boundary mark- 
ers, and the most important factor of all 
is that they must be set level with the sur- 
face of the ground. 
Inasmuch as it is the duty of proprietors 
to place permanent -landmarks on their 
respective lots, we incorporate this item at 
the time the sale is made and a nominal 
charge added for corner stones. The cem- 
etery furnishes the stones of uniform size, 
6x6 inches square and 24 inches in length, 
made of Vermont marble. The name of 
owner of lot is inscribed within the circu- 
lar area of the stone ; in the center number 
of section and lot are placed. The markers 
are set at their proper location by the em- 
ployees of the cemetery. The land, of 
course, has been previously surveyed and 
the lots recorded. However, there are 
other kinds of stone used for markers 
which are more or less suitable, but I wish 
to mention especially the use of cement in 
making markers for which various ef- 
ficient methods have been perfected, also 
their comparative inexpensiveness makes 
them attractive under conditions where 
they can be made to meet certain require- 
ments. As to the usefulness and purpose 
of boundary markers, I do not consider it 
necessary to dwell further on the subject; 
without them we would soon be at sea. 
Carl E. Kern, 
Asst. Supt., Spring Grove Cemetery. 
Cincinnati, O. 
The modern cemetery marks all lot 
boundaries by suitable, permanent markers 
of uniform size, with lot and block number 
inscribed on same, thus making it a matter 
of record corresponding to the deed de- 
scription. 
Under no conditions should such mark- 
ers stand above the general level of the. 
lawn and in no case should names or 
initials of lot owners be inscribed thereon. 
Individual ideas of how to mark the 
boundaries of cemetery, lots may vary as 
radically as the individual ideas of the fit- 
ness of political candidates to fill certain po- 
sitions. As a rule, the lot owner that wants 
to mark his lot his way thinks little about 
the lot owners adjoining. The writer 
knows of a case where a fairly wealthy lot 
owner bought a lot and knew that lot 
markers were to be placed on the corners 
of all lots by the cemetery. He ordered a 
monument and four large markers, 12x12 
inches and 12 inches above ground, and a 
rough butt extending into the ground three 
feet. These markers were delivered at the 
cemetery and the superintendent promptly 
rejected them. Being an influential citizen, 
the president of the cemetery permitted 
him to have them placed at the corners of 
his lot, and he came out quite elated that 
he had gained his point. Again the super- 
intendent refused to let the markers go in, 
claiming the rough butt was too large and 
would extend over on the next lot and 
prevent that lot owner from placing his 
marker on his lot line. 
So the monument man was sent for 
and required to take these stones back to 
his shop and dress them down to 12 by 12 
inches, After six months of contention the 
markers were placed and have been hide- 
ous features in the lawn of a modern cem- 
etery. Should four such contentious lot 
owners happen to buy together there 
would be four times 12x12 inches on the 
lawn, perhaps four kinds of stone, of four 
kinds of designs, and of four sizes where 
these four lots come together. 
This is proof enough that no modern 
cemetery should offer lots for sale before 
lot markers are in and there should be 
just one marker for each lot corner, 
whether it be an individual single corner, 
a double corner, or the corner of four 
lots. 
The following rule is in force in all well 
regulated modern cemeteries: “The cor- 
ners of each lot will be permanently 
marked by the Association,” also this rule : 
“No lot or parcel of ground shall be de- 
fined by so-called fences, railings, copings, 
hedges, embankments, or ditches.” 
Markers with top above the ground level 
do not mark lot better or more perma- 
nently than do those level with the ground 
and are easily found even when the ground 
is covered with snow. One familiar with 
a plan can find such corners without diffi- 
culty. 
Markers made of cement or hard burned 
terra cotta are made to order. Advertise- 
ments for such markers are found in the 
advertising pages of Park and Cemetery 
and Landscape Gardening. A very use- 
ful device whereby cemeteries can make 
their own markers is offered for sale by 
Mr. Bellett Lawson, whose advertisement 
is carried in this paper. With this device 
the ordinary laborers in a cemetery can 
make markers on rainy days when outside 
work is not possible. 
Hare & Hare, 
Landscape Architects. 
Kansas City, Mo. 
* * * 
As to corner markers, we find them es- 
pecially useful on Easter and Decoration 
Day, as well as on Thanksgiving Day and 
at Christmas time, when thousands of cut 
flowers, plants and wreaths are placed upon 
the graves. In fact, they are so useful to 
us at all times that I can scarcely conceive 
how we could now get along without them. 
I am mindful, however, of the fact that 
twenty years ago lwe had few corner 
stones, and no telephones or automobiles 
in Lake View, and both the Superintendent 
and the lot owners got along somehow and 
were perhaps as happy as in these days. 
Of course in communities where differ- 
ent customs prevail and florists are not 
allowed to enter the grounds, the use of 
corner markers is not so imperative. Yet 
as human nature is much the same the 
world over it would seem reasonable to 
suppose that lot owners generally delight 
to see their names upon a corner marker, 
and find a keen satisfaction in knowing the 
exact boundaries of their landed posses- 
sions. We have found it most satisfactory 
not to place a section on the market until 
all the corner markers have been accurately 
set and numbered, and of course the cost 
is included in the price asked for the lot. 
In what might be called our “De Luxe” 
sections, where the lots are large, the cor- 
ners. are indicated by a 6x6 inch dark 
Quincy granite marker, polished and set 
flush with the grade, the number of the lot 
being cut thereon diagonally across the in- 
ner corner and the name of the owner 
above it, so that both are readable from 
the center of the lot. In sections where 
smaller lots prevail, that is, lots designed 
to provide for from two to six burials, 
and upon which monuments are not per- 
mitted, the corner is marked by a 3x3 inch 
piece of Georgia marble, or a piece of 
slate. 
For the convenience of our salesmen our 
gardeners are required to keep the corners 
of all unsold lots uncovered and plainly 
visible at all times ; and they are also re- 
quired to cut back the grass from around 
all corner markers twice each year. We 
find that this practice of keeping the cor- 
ner markers visible is a great help in elim- 
