The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-16
Arbor Day.

This Is Arbor day. The governor
has issued proclamation to that eff
feet, as required to do by law. The
preparations for the observance of the
day throughout the state have not
been so extensive as they might have
been, or as they doubtless would have
been but for the cold and backward
spring. Hereafter, under an amend
ment to the new codes, Arbor day will
fall on the second Tuesday in May in
stead of the third Tuesday of April
In Montana of all states in the union
the planting of trees and shrubs
should be encouraged by all possible
means. With plenty OF water Mon
tana will yet blossom as the rose. If
the present generation does what it
ought to do In the way of street and
yard and garden and landscape adorn-
ment, it will lay the next generation
under the deepest obligations.
Under the laws of this state the OBJ
servance of Arbor day is not to be
confined to the public schools, but all
citizens, companies and associations
are urged to take an interest in the
occasion and promote the planting of
trees along the public highways and
wherever else they will serve purposes
of shade or ornamentation. But the
chief aim and intent of the day, we
think, is to inculcate in the children a
love of trees and an intelligent inter.
est in their propagation and preserva-
tion.
A writer In the Philadelphia Press
gives some good practical suggestions
for the observance of Arbor day which
are worth bearing in mind:
A possible danger turks In the fact that Arbor
day has become national institution. Yet the
day and its observances are so vastly impor-
tant that II is well worth while to attempt To
correct certain vicious tendencies which have
been observed to grow out OF
Mere planting Is not the whole of the idea,
and this fact was well recognized by the pub
| lie school children OF West Chester when they
resolved to form tree protective association.
There is still further idea, and one which lies
not only at the base of planting In the cities for
shade and aesthetic purposes, but also along
| the roads and even where trees are massed for
forest purposes.
To iilustrate-anyone who notes the country
chool houses OF the present will observe that In
most instances an attempt has been made tc
| form Of planting more trees than there was
room for; and the consequence is such school
yards present already a collection of badly
nourished, msshapen trees. The perfect, ideal.
| beautiful form of the tree is not there. There
/ is hence danger that the day whose legitimate
function It is to encourage the beautiful and the
nobly symmetrical along with the useful may
| fall OF Its whole purpose IL 1t encourages any
sense of satisfaction with the weak, diseased or
deformed tree which stands In an overcrowded
| school ward.
This leads one to look for a remedy; for which,
| fortunately. one does not have far to seek. In
culcate the idea that msshapen tree should
always be removed unless there is some special
reason why 1t should remains and that no more
trees should be planted OF rather allowed to
remain than can find room for normal de-
velopment.
The Arbor day idea might also find natural
expression In according some reasonable care
| to trees already planted; and the inevitable re-
suit would be not only larger number OF better
shaped trees. but larger total number OF living
| trees because of those which under existing
| circumstances die now large proportion would
be preserved.