Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-04-20
I He FL HERALD.
Che farm ers' furrom.
Plant q Centennial Tree.

A very excellent movement is on
foot 10 Connecticut, under the dlrec-
ton of the secretary of the board of
education, TO induce the people to
plant centennial trees this Spring.
Every body who owns plot of
ground favorable for the purpose, or
who lives by country road, is call
ed upon TO plant at least one tree of
3 species adapted TO beautify the
landscape, such as an elm. OAK, ma
pie, ash or walnut. Prizes have
been offered in some cases to induce
school children and others to plant
trees in the vicinity of their own
homes or on the public grounds and
highways. If little enthusiasm can
be awakened on this subject, a work
may be done this centennial year
which will make our towns and viii
lagos grow in beauty throughout the
coming century.
The benefits of the work will be
manifold. II will be an exercise of
toretnought and labor of the future,
which will in itself have the most
benefeent effect upon those engaged
in it. There is nothing moro enob-
ling than the consciousness of doing
something for future generations.
But it will not be work of self-sac-
rifice by any means. There will be
perennial pleasure in watching the
growth of these trees, and long be-
fore the youthful generation Of the
present. time has passed away they
will have attained sufficient size to
add greatly to the attraetiveness OF
the places in which they are planted.
Suppose all our country roads, the
grounds about school.hoQses and
public buildings, the demesne of pri-
vate dwelling and all public squares
were to be literally planted with or
namental and useful trees this year,
what would be the effect produced
in fifty years from this time? How
greatly would the beauty and attrac-
tiveness of our cities and towns be
enohantedl The whole state might
be almost transformed into a beauti-
l.ful park, aud the eve of the traveller
would everywhere be greeted with
pictures of wonderous loveliness.
The associations connected With
these trees would grow in interest
from year to year and from genera
lion to generation. The ~~atennial
tree planting of 1876 would be re-
mem ered with perpetual gratitude.
Families would have Few ties bind
ing them to their homes, and con-
Meeting the thoughts of the children
with the kindly foresight of the
fathers.
And the value of the work would
not be merely esthetic or sentiment
tai. There is a practical utility in
trees out Of all proportion to the cost
of planting and fostering them. MOI
only have they an immediate value
for use and ornament, adding to the
value of property on which they
stand, but the growth and prosperity
of town depands largely on the at
fractions which it presents as place
in which to lives Many of our most
Furnishing towns owe the rapidity of
their Development to the fact that
they had a picturesque and inviting
| appearance, which induced people to
select them as the place for their
labor and enterprise. A generous
rivalry among the towns of this or
any other state TO present an sttrac-
tive appearance by we'll ordered pub
| lie grounds and shaded avenues would
do much to promote their growth
and prosperity. There is no invest
ment of labor that would pay so well
as that expended in centennial tree
planting. Boston Globe.