Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-04-26

main some dGSOlate, leSleClcu, i0P"'
sive leafless villages, where taste and
trees. and shrubbery, hedges, creeping
vines and park or green, would
make the wilderness blossom as the
rose.
Among the memories Of my boy
hood. while under thirteen years OF
age, no day has recurred with more
frequency and satisfaction than that
devoted to tree planting. The ma
ples then set out before the home
stead. in Litchfeld County, are now
beautiful and stately trees. They
have paid me a thousandfold for the
work they cost, and added new attrac-
tons to the cherished spot to which
count it privilege to make an annual
visit. This personal incident is given
to suggest how easily our youth may
now provide for u like grateful expert
ence.
A single fact out of many which
might be given will be enough to H.
lustrate the economic bearings OF tree
planting. New Haven owes its beau
ty and growth largely to the TASTE
liberality, and foresight of james Hill
house. The Public Green Association
which he organized in 1909, raised
and expended little over $500 tor
planting elms and grading the Green
One of the donors gave five gallons OF
rum, then apparently as good as legal
tender. Next to the location OF Yale
College, nothing has contributed so
much to the growth and enrichment
Of New Haven as its elms. 1t is eel
ebrated in this and other lands as the
CITY of Elms. Its magnificent ave-
nues of stately trees, surprising oven
the famous Unter den Linden OF Berl-
II in, have enhanced its reputation tor
taste, beauty, and elegance, and thus
r attracted many wealthy and desirable
t residents, and greatly increased the
, taxable value of all the property II
, the city. New Haven virtually re
} ceiyes IN annual income from he
elms tar greater than their entire orig
inal cost
The judicious offer Of 5000 to be ex
$ pended in prizes in Great harrington
is likely to lead to the planting o
hundreds, # not thousands of trees il
) that town. This example is com
C mended to all Who would make .h
u centennial year memorable for tire
IL planting, 1t would be easy for GU
y men of wealth to start klndr6
y movement all over the State, and d
II ca ch for his own town somewhat IA
Is Hilhouse did for New Haven. Ther
II is not q free holder in Connectlcu
Il who might not plant at least one tire
a to be remembered by his children {
rs cbll6ren's children as "the cetenni
u tree
g As mere beginning in this dire
We ton. and with the hope that othe
Il who can better afford it will do Il
T. more, hereby offer 5000 to encoura!
y tree planting in Connecticut, to
u given under the following condition
Is, viz. zone dollar to any teacher OF pul
iu in our schools, public or private, WI
no shall plant or cause to be planted ii
re trees, each not less than nine feet
y height, either elm, maple, ash, VIII
ne oak, or walnut, either on the schc
up grounds or along any road or stra
0" and who shall report said tree plantn
'e- to me during the month Of April
as before the tenth of May, 1876. If a
IL one complying with the above con
n'S tions should prefer as keepsake
est book entitled s.Education Abroad,
all copy OF the second edition of that V
'ils ume inscribed "a Prize for Tree Pla
-es ing" will be forwarded postage pa
"! The prize will be awarded on the rec
NO. of certificate tiom any School Visl
Tue that "the five trees" above descrit
'"' were all living August first, 1877.
'o' The interesting Village lmprovem
anu Associations recently awakened in
wv many towns of Connecticut makes
=, present an opportune season Tor
wv planting.
,A If can assist in organizing 81
- Associations in other towns, either
80. advice or by lecture on "Tree-Plant
-. and Rural Life, or "What a n
Owes to the Town he Lives in,'
,. service will be cheertully rendered.
y. B. G. NORTHRoP,
90, Secretary State Board Of Eaucat
.o New HAVEN, CoNN, MARCH 27,