Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-05-07
CARE OF CEMETERIES.

ahar
CARE OF CEMETERIES.
SOME OF THE IMPORTANT FEATURES
| OF THEIR ESTABLISHMENT.
Extracts frem a Paper Read by John G..
Barker, Before the Massachusetts Horti-
cultural Society-Good Grass, Flower
Beds, Trees, Etc.-various Eints.
The place to commence the care of a
cemetery is at the gate, 1t is important
that the first impression should be neat
and attractive. But the care of the ceme-
terry should not stop here to the neglect of
the rest OF the grounds. Whenever a rare
tree or shrub or a group can be planted let
it be done: do not let the marble and
granite monopolize the ground.
A most important feature in the em-
belishment is the avenues and paths.
Those at the entrance should be of width
proportionate to the surroundings. For
the other principal venue eighteen feet
Is a good standard width and 81 feet for
the paths is sufficient. These should be
rounded over enough to throw the water
into the cutters. Nothing adds more to a
place than well-kept avenues and paths.
When it,is necessary to care for the water
it will be found far-better to lay a drain
pipe on the side of the. agenue; a foot deep
is enough, with basins at the points
where the most water concentrates carry
ing it to the most convenient place. Where
selected beach stones of nearly uniform
| Slya n1n ha N htainal a ~ tta. ,nnl-n. ~ ,,;ao
finish to avenues.
should never be so high as to be very dis
t%inctive. They should be kept low but
well defined, use the scuGiie hoe and fine
rake freely when the weeds are scarcely
p~ercepfibie. Paved cutters are not expen-
slVet to keep clean. When the grounds have
thespring raking and cleaning the cutters
should be thoroughly swept with a stiff
| broom.
GOOD GRAS AN 80 IL FACTOR,
Good grass is one Nost essential
factors. Without : whatever YOU
please, you will ne i've a good-looking
lot. Let all the ground be well prepared,
Iop-dressing is good, but food at the roots
is better. A dry spell will soon convince
the observer of this fact. The use of stone
n marble for fences and curbings
is giving way to the landscape lawn
plan. Many of the unsightly hedges and
FENCES In old cemeteries are each year Civ
ing place to smooth slopes, rare trees and
shrubs.
Ine essaylSt die not advise fiower-beds
on lots, though many desire them, but. a
vase of proper size, well filed and placed
in the center of the lot, especially where
there is no monument, is very desirable.
Neatness and simplicity. especially in lots
of moderate size, should never be forgot
ten. Anything like rivalry is entirely out
of place. A handsome monument on a
large lot, with simple markers to designate
each grave, looks much better than a
quantity of headstones of varying designs.
For a large lot of 1000 or more square
feet a good way is to form a circle from
the center which will leave the corners to
be planted. A tree may be placed in the
center until the monuments is ready.
10 obviate the complaint that because
one can not afford to buy q large lot he is
driven into a back corner or a low place.
the essayist advises the laying out OF
parallel ranges of larger and smaller lots.
and places for single graves with room for
trees between the ranges, while the larger
and smaller lots under this arrangement
@ua itM 20 "a TON eaci ooner' the UNI
iii 10y - ~ saounu - retained ana the
AiSslitis P9or are iald together.
to- V fn. ,ioenls1laehto the places de-
800 = lowers anu shruos, the essaylst
nsconilhehaed the use SO Far as possible OF
~ !, saAa ~hefnaceous plants. They
shouiu never De planted very sh1ckly, but
Iasn shouiah nave room TO develop itself.
peioIs any planting IS done the beds
snoulu pe prepared III the best possible
way. SHRUBS should be massed.
some HINTS WELL WORTH NEEDING.
In many cemeteries. especially those
owned by cities or towns, a large space is
occupied by what is known as the city or
town lot, and is filed by those whose
friends are compelled by necessity to Law
their loved mes there; but these friends
are as sensitive and feel as much grief for
their kindred as those who have means to
do as they wish. We want no one to feel
these public lots are ant to nresent. an mn
seemly appearances, and to avoid this the
essayist recommended that wooden struc-
lures should not be allowed on the graves.