The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1920-04-09
Speaks Before Ladies' Or
carnations OF The City
Wednesday
MRS. ARNDT WAS THE
CHAIRMAN OF MEETING
Speaker Believes Mt. Yer
nm HIS Too Many
Shade Trees

"Landscaping for the Beauty of the
City" was the subject of an address
given before the ladies' organizations
of the city at the Chamber of Com
merce Wednesday afternoon by Prof.
r. H. Elwood of Ohio State univer-
sity. Mr.. Elwood is one Of the in
structors in landscape architecture
at the university and brought to the
audience many interesting as well as
many new things about the art OF
beautifying the city.
The speaker stated that most small
towns aimed too low in making their
pans for beautifying their streets
and their parks. Too many of them
are satisfied with a yearly cleanup"
which is surely not enough for per-
manent satisfaction TO the majority
of the citizens. Plans for this work
should have big goals to reach such
as the installation of new parks, play
grounds, new public buildings, and
various forms of civic recreation. The
way to get on well in this work he
said is to have q great broad scheme
of work, one that will benefit the
majority Of the citizens of the city
and will add greatly to their general
amount OF pleasure and recreation.
He urged that great care should bo
exercised by those in charge that they
work with surety, doing little valu-
able work each season until the move
ment was on sure footing of popu-
larity. He commended the work of
Mayor Tiger In this city in getting af-
ter the public square park. He said
that 1t was the place to begin the
work in this city because of its loca-
tion and because the majority Of the
people would see It often and realize
the benefit derived from the expendi-
lures put into 1t.
Mt. Vernon, according to Mr.. Ell.
wood, has too many trees, despite the
fact that II seems q shame to cut
them out. They give too much shade
for the growing of grass and flowers
in the yards. He stated that the soft
mapes which are predominant here
viii soon be on q decline, and can be
disposed Of slowly, and replaced with
trees Of longer life such as elms and
Norway naples. The shade on most
OF the residences streets of the city
is too dense.
He then briefly outlined plot nr-
rangements. Open spaces should be
preserved to show up the houses. Low
shrubs and plants should be planted
to the front OF the lot, mediums in
the center and the high varieties
near the house or this building, which
IL the real center Of the plot.
~ arranenN the Identification of
Q park In West High street he stat.
ed the idea would be to plant for pic.
turesqueness. The park itself is ir.
regular and the decorations should be
Of the Informal kind. He thought
that the railing around the monument
In the square could well be taken
away, and the cement foundation Gov
cred more beautifully by some kind
OF evergreen growth.
In planting Of flowers or shrubs he
said that the greatest care should be
taken in the preparation OF TIA soil
The beds should be 10 inchel deer
with at least three inches of manura
for top dressing, and II possible a
covering Of bone meal or lime, This
bed win hold the moisture and will
insure the best kind Of growth, a kind