New-York tribune., 1902-05-29
KEEPING OFF THE GRASS.

Many people have heard OF the little Fresh
Air" child from the sfums of NewYork who on
being taken to the country, expressed the opn-
ion that the country must be a hard place 70
live in, there IS so much grass TO keep off of"
Not all New Workers are so docile in their att-
tude toward the signs that always confront
them when they take their pleasure in their
parks In fact, there has always been good
deal OF impatient criticism on the part Of cit-
zens OF New-York upon the restrictions that
hedge around the visitors TO the parks, little and
big on this island. 1t may be true that there IS
sometimes lack Of gentle manners on the part
OF those who enforce the park rules; but gentle
r,anners never have much effect when there Is
n crowd of people to be managed. and II is not
70 he wondered at that those who must adopt
the sharp and short method so frequently as our
park policemen have to- do not at once return 10
the urbane when the necessity Is past
But It is chiefly the restrictions that are en-
forced, as in Central Park that gall the citizen
and that not even the privilege OF occasionally
walking on the meadows playing tennis on
the tennis lawns can atone for. The few New
Workers who have been to Prospect Park In the
borough across the river have doubtless all been
profoundly impressed by the difference in the
freedom that is allowed in the two pleasure
grounds. You need not keep off the grass" in
Prospect Park. And this fact has doubtless in
creased the bitterness of the visitor to Central
Park at the sight of the signs or the sound Of
the pocemans warning whistle.
But now, perhaps for the first time, we are
given an explanation of these seventies. and the
justification for them, in statement from Mr.
Parsons, the landscape architect OF the park. He
explains that the soil OF Central Park is poor
that only by artificial means has its present de-
velOpment been attained; and that on account
OF this poverty It must be protected from too
much use. He even goes far as to say that
the limit of development Of the parks shrubs
and trees has been reached. and that they are
beginning to retrograde In other words, as Mr.
Parsons puts IL in somewhat startling phrase
the park is dying. The fact, II 1t be fact, is
one well calculated to bring dsmay to the peo-
pie OF this city, who have for more than a gen
GRAFTON taken increasing pride in their great
pleasure ground and made an ever increasing
use of it. 1t may bring them to a greater resg-
nation in submitting TO the restrictions neces-
sarily imposed. People may walk all over Pros
pect Park because the natural growth there is
luxurious and vigorous and can stand the hard
est usage. The soil is strong and rich. Trees
and shrubs grow naturally TO their finest deve-
opment Great throngs can roam over its lawns
and meadows, and the forces of nature Will of
themselves repair what damage and wear
suit. For this the Manhattanite may envy the
Brooklynite-as, indeed. many have envied on
beholdng the more rugged beauty Of Prospect
Park without knowing the disadvantages under
which the makers and keepers of Central Park
have labored
There is remedy for this sad state of things
but 1t is q remedy of which Mr. Parsons
speaks as one without hope 1t Is to renew the
soil of Central Park by thick layer of richer
| m cd Ton Isl or Nan Tor
sey. where nature has been more bountiful But
this means, as he calculates, the expenditure of
million and a half of money, and further
expenditure for keeping the land better watered
than 1t is now He has no hope of getting the
money at present; and, indeed, the drafts upon
the city's resources are such to make the
proposition as doubtful as Mr.. Parsons seems
to think it is. In ten years. or twenty the signs
of death and decay will be plain enough for
all to see. he says-and then, when the park is
a disgrace TO the city, the work will be done at
a much larger cost. Mr.. Parsons speaks with
an experts authority, and his words, dIsheart-
ening as they are TO all admirers of one of New
York's chief ornaments, must be accepted as
true. But in the sad consciousness of the un-
fortunate natural conditions of the park there
is one thing that the people of New York ought
TO do. In the times when the restrictions are
relaxed for their benefit, ard they are invited
TO walk upon the broad meadow. they should
refrain from making IL a dumping ground for
papers and luncheon boxes and all sorts of I'M
slightly litter. On the morning after one of the
free" days and before the park cleaners have
made their rounds the meadow looks as II a
summer snOwstorm had fallen upon it 1t seems
disgraceful that there should be no more public
spirit than is thus indicated. 1t almost justifies
the most stringent rules that could be devised
= Nd Ions h.
feeling Of civic pride and responsibility
When every borough Of this big town is under-