The Osceola times., 1881-04-23
Premiums for Beautiful Towns.
san Francisco Bulletin.

A citizen Of Berkeley has offered n
/ premium of twenty dollars for the best
hedge, other than cypress, in front of the
lot of any resident of that town.
The Berkeley Town Improvement So
ciety has designated suitable trees for
/ the various streets of that town, and has
offered to plant trees, water and cultivate
l them in front of the lots of non-residents
for one year. at the low cost of one dol
lar for each tree. As half this sum
would be expended for the Purchase of
/ trees alone, it is a capital opportunity for
all who have unimproved lots in that
/ promising town. This improvement so.
ciety is now in vigorous operation; and it
may be safely predicted that in five years
this society will have wrought work
which will attract the attention of the
entire State.
| We learn that the town of Santa Rosa
| has an association which is directed to
local improvements, and that considera-
/ BILE in that way has been accomplished
in that pleasant town. In two or three
| other towns Of the State kindred associa-
/ tions have been organized, or are in pro-
/ cess OF formation. There is now hardly
a state in the union which has not one
/ or more of these town improvement So
| cieties, which have originated within a
| few years and all since the organization
/ of the parent society about forty years
| ago in Stockbridge, Mass, although the
| first real improvement society was or
/ ganized in New Haven nearly seventy
/ five years ago by James Hillhows and
Others, and resulted in the planting of
| the ems which are now the most dis
/ tinguishing feature of that handsome
city.
! 1t is not yet too late in the season to
/ do good work in the way of tree plant
/ ing in towns and villages and along
| country roads. In theory, every real
estate owner in the country is supposed
/ to have interest enough in the enhance
ment Of the value of his own property to
make the improvements suggested. But
| these generally go by default for the lack
/ of the stimulus of good examples. A few
/ enterprising citizens, men and women,
/ making practical demonstration of the
way the work can be done, will often
stimulate hundreds of Others by such an
example. The greater number of the
small towns in California too day have a
very repulsive appearance. A collection
/ VI tiltdD Olll III
bald, bleak way nearly on the line of
dusty streets, with no breadth of fore
ground, and nothing to hide the exter-
nal ugliness, never can be an attractive
sight to the stranger A little taste and
energy can work wonderful transform
alton. There is not one of these towns
or villages which can not be made at
tractive in its approaches and attractive
| internally by twenty resolute and enter
prising citizens, who set their hearts on
such an improvement. These villages
ought not to be so snattractive that a
stranger wants to get away as soon as
possible, but should be made so inviting
that he will naturally go there for Pc
riod of rest, and liking the place, will
buy property, and influence capital to
take the same direction. Something in
this direction has already been accom-
plished. A great deal remains to be
done. If the initiative is to be taken
this season, there are only a few weeks
left which are available for tree-planting.