The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-04-06
ARBOR DAY.


ArJor Day has become a national
institution and for it we are indebted
to Hon. J. Sterling Morton, Secretary
of Agriculture On the 4th of Janu-
airy, 1872, Mr. Morton prevailed upon
the Nebraska State board of Agricul
ture to urge the people of that Stat e
to plant trees on the 10th of April fol-
lowing AS the result of that appeal
more than a million trees were plant
ed, and Arbor Day became fixed in the
calendar of Nebraska, the Legislature
having designated April 22d and made
it legal holiday.
The idea spread and nearly all of
the States have adopted it as well as
England, France, Germany and Scot
land. Ex-Governor Furnas, Secretary
of the Nebraska State board of Agri-
culture. states that since the inaugu-
ration of Arbor Day 100000, 900 trees
have been planted in Nebraska alone,
on the anniversary of the day, and the
number planted on the naturally
treeless prairies runs up into thous-
ands of millions.
The destruction of our forests began
with the arrival of the white man and
as the population has increased it has
gone on in accelerated ratio. The cut
ting down of trees, it is said, has
changed climatic conditions. 1t has
caused an unequal distribution of rain
fall and to this reason destructive
floods, droughts and cyclones are at
tributed. What a blessing, then, is
this beautiful custom of tree planting.
Arbor Day is formally recognized in
our own State, Governor Brown hav-
ing issued proclamation designating
Friday next, April 18th, for its cele-
bration. The Governor refers to the
! beneficial results which have followed
| the observance of Arbor Day since its
| establishment in this State ten years
ago and urges the people of the Sta tie
generally to devote the appointed day
TO the planting or transplanting of
trees, vines and shrubbery, so that the
beauty and value of the homes, high
ways and public places of the State
may be increased. He especially re-
commends to parents and to teachers in
public schools that they encourage
children to plant or transplant at least
| one forest or shade tree on that day
by the side Of some public road or
about their school houses or homes.
The day has been incorporated with
our public school system, and its liter
AZURE, enriched by the productions of
| such writer's as James Russell Lowell,
George William Curtis, John Bur
roughs, Edward Everett Hale, Thomas
F. Bayard, Adelaide Proctor and
| dozens of others, can not fail to i'm
press upon the children who partici-
pate in the exercises of Arbor Day the
Importance of tree-planting and fix in
their minds some practical lessons on
the subject.
In our own county, Mr.. John d.
Worthington, in a circular sent to
| teachers, urges them to observe the
| day, not as a holiday but as a special
school observance, and insists that be-
sides literary exercises appropriate to
the occasion at least one tree, shrub or
vine shall be planted by each school.
With little forethought and consul
tation with the friends of a school its
teacher could accomplish excellent re-
suits. If there are no room for more
trees, vines and shrubs judiciously
distributed would add to the beauty
of the school grounds.
In selecting trees to be planted if
they can be obtained we would suggest
that in addition to trees for shade it
might be well to plant nut-bearing
trees, such as the hickory, improved
varieties of chestnuts, Sc. The de-
struction of chestnut trees even in our
own county, for fencing purposes, has
been enormous and it would be well
to replenish the supply. Mr.. Worth
ington, in his circular, not only urges
the planting of trees but the care of
them afterwards. The children should
be taught that it is not mere form
they are engaged in but practical
and useful performance. the result of
which will be seen hereafter.