Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-23
Arbor Day in GEORGIA.


To Gov. Gordon belongs the honor OF
inaugurating Arbor day in Georgia, and
there is every reason why it should come
to be regarded as very important day
by every Georgian. Tomorrow VIII he
the first Arbor day in this State, and it
should be generally observed. The only
way to observe it properly is to plant
trees. Let every man or woman who has
home, or who feels like helping to make
some one else's home more attractive,
plant a tree tomorrow. Ia the cities
and towns special effort should be made
to plant shade trees along the streets, and
in the country farmers should plant trees
about their homes.
All who plant trees tomorrow may not
live to enjoy their beauty and shade, but
many will, and those who do not will
have the satisfaction of feeling that they
have done something to make life pleas
anter for those who come after them
1t is about impossible to make "a town
or village as attractive without shade
trees as with them. Those cities whose
avenues are lined with magnificent shade
trees have charms for residents and visit
ors which make them known far and wide
When Charles Dickens first visited Am
erica he was particularly struck with the
magnificent elms on High street, Middle
town, Conn. On that street there are two
rows OF elms on either side, the branches
Of which meet and form an arch over the
street for distance of mile or more
Dickens declared that it was the most
handsomely shaded street in the world.
Washington is rapidly becoming mag
nifcentIy shaded city. The man who in.
augurated the shade tree system there
is now digging gold in Mexico. A
one time he was thought to be the city's
worst enemy, but time has softened this
Judgment. and If he were 10 visit his old
home now he would be received as one OF
Washington's benefactors. Within ten
years, or twenty at the farthest, Wash
ington will be admitted to be the most
beautiful capital in the world.
Tuere isn't town not already supplied
with shade which cannot add to its at
fractions by the Judicious planting Of
trees, aud the most ignorant and un-
appreciaive of men will acknowledge thar
trees has an attraction and a power to
inspire restful feeling which house
unadorned with shrub 5ery or trees and ex-
posed to the glare of the sun can never
have.
One ofthe greatreasons why trees should
be generally planted is that the forests
are being rapidly destroyed, and in
comparatively short time only small
tracts of woodland here and there abou'
the State will remain. Alternating
droughts and floods may then be ex.
pected. Self-protectiOn, therefore, as
we'll as the cultivation OF those things
which add to mans pleasures and com
orts, demands the planting of trees.
In this city there has been a great
awakening lately with respect to the
shade tree question. While Savannah Is
still known as the Forest City, her streets
are not as beautifully shaded as they once
were. 1t is probable. however, that her
people, being aroused to the importance
OF shade trees, not only as ornaments bur
also as contributors to their comfort and
perhaps their health, will take an in
creased interest in tree planting.
1t is perhaps not too much to say that
if half million trees should b.
planted in Georgia tomorrow they would,
in few years, be worth more than mil
lion of dollars in one way and another to
the State.