Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-05-07
Glass FINES .4ND Glass TREES.
Direct ms Given rs to Time of Planting
Commemorative Trees and Vines.

Direct Hns Given rs to Time of Planting
Commemorative Trees and Vines.
The following from GdrtleR and For
eat Of this weeks issue affords timely in
formation upon Il topic of local interest:
at is the custom in some of our coun-
try high schools for the graduating class
to plant a tree in the neighborhood of
the school-house, and for long period
it has been the time-honored custom Of
universities to set out vine in COM
mencement week, to commemorate the
class that is about to leave college.
During visit last summertoa an eastern
college, our attention was called TO the
Ampelopsis, each one labeled with the
date of the class cut in one the stones of
the foundation Of thechapel by which The
plants were set, and it was melancholy
TO see how forlorn and small many Of
them were, and how others had died
completely for lack of attention. The
same may be said of numbers of the
pitiful little naples and Gins that hud-
die around the unpicturcsque and bare
high-schOol buildings in some parts of
New England, which really should by
this time be amply shaded if proper
attention had been paid to the young
trees when set out,
A radical change should be made in
the time of planting these commemora-
tive trees and vines. Instead of setting
them out AZ the close of its career every
class should, on entering the school or
university, erect its growing monument
and devote its best energies during the
four years Of school or college life to
having its vine or its tree beat the record
in growth and .yigor. In this way, if
one specimen died another could be
planted, that the class might be sure of
a memorial, while yearly committee
should be appointed to attend to the
plant and a small subscription be levied
on each member of the class for proper
fertilizers and cultivation.
Ii the personal attention Of the boys
could be given 10 the subject, if they
would themselves dig about and enrich
and prune what they had planted and
would take pride in it, the effect would
be good in awakening in their minds an
interest in the growth of plants and
trees; and some slight knowledge might
be acquired of climatic and soil condi-
tons and hint might be given to them
of one Of the best and purest pleasures
which is within the grasp Of man.
In this way could be instilled into the
rising generation an interest in forestry
that might in time bear fruit in greater
care for this property of the nation.
Among the books Of reference in schools
some should be supplied which treat Of
the proper management of growing
things, so that the youths and maidens
could study the subject for themselves.
If, at the end of each year or four years,
some slight reward, such as simple
medal or even an honorable mention,
could be awarded to that plant or tree
which has made any surprising growth,
it might still further stimulate I'M inter
est among the young people in this most
beautiful and useful work. Masters Of
schools and professors of colleges should
use their influence to bring about this
change as speedily as possible, for it
could not fail to do good to the youths
themselves, and would replace, with
vigorous trees and vines, the usually
melancholy specimens which many
classes now leave behind them as their
monuments.