Washington sentinel., 1898-02-19
Arbor Day in New zealand.

Arbor Day in New Zealand.
Our New Zealand cousins have
lately inaugurated a new anniver-
sarv. 1t does not refer to anV his
toric event, nor does it commem-
crate any incident in the advance
ment OF the colony, nor yet is il
dedicated to mere pleasure making;
il differs from most other anniver-
saries in that, while they have their
origin in some reference to the
past, this is concerned only with
the future, it is purely altrulstic,
and for the benefit alone of poster
ity. This anniversary is known as
Arbor Day, and it is day set apart
ior the good work OF tree planting;
on it rich and poor, old and young,
are invited by the Government OF
their country to leave their ordi-
nary vocations, and unite in the
common object OF planting trees
throughout the land. By this
measure the Government hope to
cope with a growing difficulty; for
New Zealand, once so rich in forest
land, is fast losing her riches,
though the demand upon them is
an ever increasing one. The clear
ing of the country through the
rapid rise Of the towns and the
growth of the population at one
and the same time, demands the
removal of trees, and yet calls for
more wood
1t is noteworthy how very
largely mans adVanC in any coun-
try is dependent on good supply
of timber; possessing it, he can
build, manufacture, and do what
he will; lacking it, he is hampered
on every hand. Therefore, as
a New Zealander developes the re-
sources Of his country, there is, on
all sides, and in the most unex-
pected places, a cry for more wood.
Take a couple OF instances, small
perhaps in themselves, yet, like
straws, showing tine way the wind
blows. The expectation Of butter,
though an industry at present only
in its infancy, is increasing enor-
mously; but butter cannot be ex-
ported without suitable packing
cases, and when hundreds OF thou
sands Of such cases are required. it
is obvious that the question Of
cheap and plentiful wood must
enter largely into trade calcula-
tions Of butter expectation. Then,
again, the activity in the mining
ana DuIIuIng trades is making serf'
Gus inroads into the available sup
ply of llrch poles, and unless some
thing is speedily done to replace
those taken away, the scarcity Of
good poles will, in most irritat-
ing way, hamper and retard oper-
ations. The inhabitants on the
treeless plains Of Canterbury in
the South Island already know the
inconvenience of little timber, and
would indeed have been grateful
had it occurred to their immediate
ancestors to start an Arbor Day.
But putting aside the trade diff
culties raised by a restricted timber
output, there is another point IN
volVed in the total disappearance
of the grand prim9val forests Of
even greater importance, and that
is the influence which trees in large
numbers are known to exercise
upon climate. Trees tend to pre-
cipitate moisture from the clouds,
while at the same time they regu-
late the evaporation from the
ground; hence as they disappear,
prolonged draughtS make their ap-
pearance, the land becomes
parched, devastating storms sweep
furiously across it, their course
now unchecked and unbroken by
any leafy barriers. The hot and
cold curren OF the air, no longer
moderated and mixed by their pas
sage through the woods, make
themselves felt only as burning
blasts or icy winds, while the cli-
mate inevitably deteriorates, and
suffers. For these rea-
sons, therefore, the Government Of
New Zealand, recognizing the i'm
portance of tree planting, and in
virtue of the marvellous results
which have been achieved by the
aside for that purpose in
the United States of America of
one day in the year to be called
Arbor Day, determined to emulate
Americas example, and inaugur-
ate there also an Arbor Day; and
so August 4, 1885, was set aside as
the first anniversary OF the tree
planting. 1t must be owned that
the majority Of New Zealanders did
not eVince any very great enthu-
sissm over the project at first, but
when the second anniversary came
round greater interest was shown,
and doubtless the interest will
grow year by year, as each man
comes to recognize more clearly
the importance Of the work in
which he is asked to help, and the
result that apathy must
bring to his country. A writer on
this subject, in the last published
New Zealand Year Book" ex-
presses a conviction that in time
Arbor Day may even hope to rival
in popularity the annual Cattle
Show Day.
The above reference to the ex-
ample of America reminds us that
in certain parts OF that country
Arbor Day has already stood the
test of twenty years experience,
aid the marvellous results" that
have so struck the Government of