The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-22

of the forests and the homes of Amer
lea. The states of West Virginia and
Indiana have recently employed him to
speak for several days within their
borders upon the forestry question, in
its varied relations to the moral and
material welfare of the people. The
board of agriculture of this state could
not better employ portion of its APP
preparation than by engaging DIR.
Northrop to enlighten the people of the
state on the ways and means of tree
culture and rural improvements. BY
tree culture alone, we believe, can the
hundreds of thousands of acres of Yer
monts waste and valueless lands be
redeemed, and it is of the greatest i'm
portance to learn, first, how to proceed
in the work of redemption to the best
advantage.
How to start Rural Improvement
Association where there is little or no
interest in the subject?" is a question
which DIR. Northrop's varied experience
in organizing large number of asso-
Citations in Connecticut, and many more
in the other New England, Middle and
Western states, peculiarly qualities him
to answer. He says:
In forming rural improvement associa-
ton, the main tug is at the start on account
of the inertia of ignorance and Indifference.
1t is the first step that costs-at least it
costs effort and information to set this thing
on foot, but that step once taken and others
are sure to follow. Experience shows that
the best way to begin this work is to call
together the people for a free lecture, set
ting forth the importance, aims and results
of this movement, and then strike while the
iron is hot by adopting constitution and
appointing the proper officers. To give
single example after such a lecture in
Warwick Neck, Rhode Island recently, an
association was formed, ga constitution {"
which furnished was adopted, the proper
officers appointed and over $500 raised by
membership fees, and all this was done in
about half an hour after the close of my
lecture. Before | left town the next morn
ing, some of the improvements recon-
mended were begun. The next week 49,
600 were raised. This is certainly good
beginning for an association not yet two
weeks old.
The fact of want of interest" in any
town should suggest the need and methods
of creating interest. A proper presentation
of the subject will show that no community
can afford to continue withC ut some organ
lied efforts, such as have elsewhere done
great good in cultivating public spirit and
! town pride, quickenng intellectual and
social life, securing better hygienic condi-
! tons, improving roads, road-Sides, side
walks, public grounds, the surroundings of
railway stations and factories, and best and
most of ALL the homes of the people, and in
general so identifying and building up our
| towns as to enhance the value of real es-
tate. The citizens of New Milford, Litch-
field, Clinton and many other towns of
! Connecticut, have already learned that
money wisely expended for public improve
ment, proves good investment. Such i'm
provements pay i'll many ways. They help
to retain in a town its wealthy and public
| spirited citizens, and attract desirable resi-
dents from abroad, whom a narrow and I'M
progressive policy would repel. Our expe-
rience proves that public improvements and
growth stand related as cause and effect.
A liberal spirit
will invite wealth and population to our
borders. On the other hand, penurious
policy is penny-wise and pound-foolish 1t
defeats its own aim of saving and results in
deterioration and loss. Men of culture and
influence shun narrOw-minded and illib'
eral community. A good name tends to en-.
rich town as well as an individual while
a bad one may impoverish both. The re-
hottest districts of some towns show great
interest in this work. Hence the term
rural is preferable to gHldge improvement
for all parts of a township should be in
cluded in the plans and benefits of such an
association. AT Warwick Neck, Rhode
Island, and West Ewing, New Jersey
where so much is now doing in this line
there is no village, but only scattered
homes and farms.
We commend these suggestions tc
the careful attention of the people OF
every community in Vermont. A ru.
raj improvement association in any
town or organized village may accom-
plish much by working in concert with
and supplementing the lawful effort:
of, the constituted authorities, as wei
as by acting independently. Eacl
alone can do many things that the othel
is incompetent to do, but by pooling
their labors and counsels, and by spend
ing their money on some well-deviset
plan much more can be done, anC
what has been so successfully accom-
plished elsewhere may be done agar
in Vermont. Every agency, organ
lied and unorganized, should be EN-
ployed to realize the noble purpose o
Arbor Day.