The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-27
SOME PARK TALK.
Samuel Parsons, Jr., Tells How To-
peka May Be Beautifed.

Mr.. Samuel Parsons, Jr., of New York
delivered an address at the high school
building last night. Mr.. Parsons is a
landscape gardener and has devoted
nearly 20 years to this work.
His lecture which was on the subject
of parks also included instruction in
beautifying private grounds.
Mr.. Parsons has laid out a great many
parks in cities of the south and east.
He has during the past few weeks been
in Colorado. While there he was the
guest of W. ]. Palmer, president of the
Denver & Rio Grande railway He is
now on his way to his home in New
York city.
At the conclusion of his lecture
number of StereOpticon views of some
of the more important parks of New
York and other cities were shown. The
following are among the more promi-
nent ones:
League Island park of three hundred
acres near Philadelphia Hook park OF
eight acres a the foot of Grand street.
New York city. This park has 1900
setteeS strung along the walks, where
at times there have been as many as
10000 people in the park at one time
Mulberry Bend park which has been re-
Gently built; this park covers an area
of two acres and was filled in with
six feet of rich soil. 1t is crowded from
about to 10 O'Clock each afternoon and
evening and there are perhaps more
natlOnalitieS represented in the crowds
that throng this park then in any other
park in America. Gennette park of two
acres and Canal Street park also of
New York city. The well known child
rens' play ground of 33 acres in Bos-
ton, and others of interest in the east.
His lecture is in part as follows:
THE development and treatment Of
public recreation places must, in order
to be effective, receive it's first general
inception under the influence of certain
broad principles, that underlie all good
landscape gardening art.
THE general principles remain the
same whether it be half an acre lot or a
park of 300, for it does not alter the
principle because the natural environ
ment and human limitations change.
"A general scheme after the property
has been selected should be first worked
out and in this landscape picture all the
principles of the art whether aesthetic
or practical should be kept carefully
in view.
"Open spaces of lawns in parks should
be retained wherever the original con-
tours and native plantations will per-
nit. The adjustment and leading of
roads and paths of parks to objects of
practical or aesthetic interest should be
made in as pleasing manner as posi-
BILE.
Water should be used in such places
for park lakes only as nature has mark
ed out suitable areas for the purpose
1.-The hills of a park should be as far
as possible kept IN a general way in
tact, and even encOura ged to reach as
high as possible. by means of planta-
lions, and the valleys to go down as
deep as the general contour of the
ground will suggest.
The boundaries of parks should be
screened by masses of trees and shrubs
/. so disposed as to give the impression of
a natural woodland border and not OF
a formal hedge
Artificial construction unless neceS-
sary to the comfort and convenience
and pleasure Of a large class OF people