The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-20

L
was presented by me to the senate
asking that the 22d day of Februar,
be set apart as Arbor day in Texas, i
being already legal holiday. After
wards l had the honor OF drafting an(
introducing in the senate a bill in &C
cordance with Temples petition
which passed the senate and went t.
the house of representatives where il
was also passed through the able
championship of such men as Seth
Mills of McLennan, ]. NJ. Strong .
Dallas and others. The bill was
signed by Gov. Ross ON February %
1889, Arbor day, and the people Of
Temple wereS celebrating Arbor day
when a telegram from the governor
informed them that their petition
had been enacted into law.
1t is said that "he is benefactor
of man who makes two blades of grass
grow where only one grew before" and
l believe that husbandry and tree cul-
ture are inseparable and should go
hand in hand.
Time does not permit me to elaborate
upon the necessity of such an associa-
ton as this -indeed it is to be pre-.
sumed that all thinking people fully
realize it. The broad and expanding
prairies of Texas and of our whole
country plead in eloquent words to
the devastator of the forests, "Wood-
man, spare that tree. Touch not a
single bough. youthit Sheltered me,
and I'll protect it now"
Man was not created in a desert, in
a cotton field nor in crowded city,
but in forest. Moses and Darwin
both agree in this. Our forests yield
their health-giving atmosphere, the
music of their song birds, the purest
enjoyment of our early years and nat
ure's remedy for the mental discords
of mankind. An instructive yearning
for the garden home Of our forefathers
haunts the nomad of the desert as
we'll as the inhabitant of our luxuri-
GUS cities.
Let us celebrate the return of spring
by our grove festivals - our Arbor gay
like the ancient Assyrians did, and
follow the example of Pastor Oberlin
who created a paradise in a dreary
valley of the Upper Moselle by in
structing parents to plant hatful OF
chestnuts at the birth of every child,
which it became the duty OF the child
to cultivate.
1 trust the future work of the Arbor
Day association may rebound to the
good of the State, and on its behalf l
return sincere thanks to the citizens
of Austin for the gracious manner OF
their reception and for their generous
hospitality.
President Evans announced that
DR.. Redpath, the well known historian,
would deliver lecture during the
night session.
Mr.. Munson invited the Texas
members of the association to unite
with the national association.
Mr.. Goodrich Jones, on behalf Of
the Arbor Day delegations, acknowl-
edged that they were indebted to the
horticulturalists for cooperation, and
stated there were now fifty Arbor Day
associations in Texas. Mr.. Jones al
luded at some length in pretty allie
.gorical style to the work of the asso-
citation.
The following are among the more
prominent delegates present:
j. @. Evans, Kansas City, Mo.
Jacob Manning, Massachusetts.
Edgar Sanders, Chicago.
L. A. Goodman, Kansas City, Mo.
Jno. @. Redpath, Greencastle, Ind.
w. III. Reagan, Greencastle, Ind.
G. G. Bell, Boonville, Mo.
Geo. w. Campbell, Chic.
Nathan Ohme, Ohio.
Mr.. Elliott, Secretary of the State
horticultural association, Minnesota.
T. V. Munson, Denison, Tex.
w. G. Veal, Fort Worth, Tex.
Professors Brunk and Philpot, of
the Agricultural and Mechanical col
lege, Texas.
VIM. Watson and T. w. Taylor,
Greencastle, Ind.
EVENING SESSION.
The proceedings of the horticultural
convention embraced the reading of
interesting papers as follows: Jeffer-
sen as Horticulturalist, by Hon. j.
P. Apologize, of Indiana. He spoke
of Jefterson's fondness for agriculture
and horticulture, his invention of the
pillow mould Of wood (since made of
steeD, his division of his lands into
fl eds, and different paintings of them
with crops in rotation and separating
them by rows Of fruit trees instead of
fences, his many experiments in farm
ing, and regret that he was too old
when he devoted himself to farming
to practice it as successfully as he de-
sired. No occupation was 80 interest
ing to him as field and garden culture.
Resolution offered by Mr.. Newberry
returning thanks to the citizens Of
Lampasas for an invitation to the as
ISOLATION to visit that city.
Miss Belle Reagan of Indiana read
with graceful expression paper on
THE Quaint Character of JOHNNIE
Appleseed," noted for planting apply
seed and other peculiar habits. His
true name was Jonathan Chapman