Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-04-29
History Of Arbor Day

One. unknown. inscribed these lines
On a bit OF torn paper and pinned 1t
TO one OF the few trees standing. In
a desolate part OF the slum district
Of New York:
May he who planted Inis tree, be-
cause of its beauty and the happiness
it has given many, find even in the
GOLDEN streets the shade OF another as
beautiful"
The use and beauty of trees have |
combined to make Arbor day on of the |
important events of each year, In the |
life OF people.
Germany in the fifteenth century,
England in the seventeenth, began the |
systematic cultivation and care of the |
forests.
Evelyn's sylvia" was the first book
to cause general interest in the orna-
mental planting of parks and gardens
in England.
OF Germany's ten schools OF sylvia
forestry. Only the best men are able
10 pass the examinations; and it re-
1uires FIVE extra years, in these
schools to become real forester
More than 80 per cent of the area of
Germany is in forests, while Switzer-
land has 1S per cent Italy IL and
Spain alone, until recently, had neith-
er law for, nor interest in, her trees
or parks. Marsh In his political es-
says: "The decadence of Spain is due
10 the loss of her forests and the train
IF evils which must follow such loss
The first laws for the protection of
forests in the United States were pass
I'd in 1917 to guard against the exter-
mination of the red cedar. California
has state law compelling the plant
ing of trees along the public highways,
but with bounty of one dollar for
each tree found in good condition at
the end OF four years.
Northrup of Connecticut in 1865 sug
gested the planting of trees by the
children OF the land" He said: 1T
must and will be done; shall 1t be
lnder our present administration or
will we leave this to a man great and
wise enough to see 1t done"
Morton, Sterling Morton, Governor
Morton, of "treeless Nebraska was
hat man. He instituted Arbor day
n 1872. His appeal was responded to,
md that first Arbor day saw over
100000 trees planted in Nebraska.
In 1885 April %, Morton's birthday,
was made a state holiday and called
Arbor day. Last year Nebraska re-
ported more than on billion thriving
Arbor day trees within her boundaries.
Minnesota was the first to follow the
example of Nebraska, others falling in
line, until now more than forty of the
itates have an annual tree planting.
Trees figure in history since history
began. Was 1t not the fruit of tree
which caused disobedience and dis
grace. The fruit of tree which also
brought knowledge.
The leaves of n tree furnished the
frst dress suits, and tree was also
The first lodging place.
Is it not also written that the sound
If woman's tongue is like the wind
,mong the trees-and that the blessed
hall be like the leaves of a tree.
which shall not wither; also that the
boastful shall spread himself like a
green bay tree? q hope you notice
he gender of that last.)
The cypress at Tule claimed by
scientists to be over six thousand
years old, has been an object of ven
ration by the natives for centuries,
rs were also the olives of Athens and
ihe oaks in the days of the Druids
Only about four hundred of the cedars
of Lebanon, spared by Solomon are
now standing. Gray's Elegy was writ
zen under the most noted tree in all
England. The seven century old yew
in the church yard of the little village
Of Stokes-Pogis. in its shadow he
sleeps.
The oak, the safe hiding place of
that precious charter, still stands at
Hartford Connecticut.
In 1890, an admirer in Smyrna sent
4 box of figs to Pope; the wrappings
held in place by long slim twigs. One
Of these being still green Pope planted
1t and 1t grew and became known as
the Pope willow.
young British officer in 177S
brought a cutting from this tree to
the United States with the boast that
When | whip the colonists | shall
take my choice of the estates there.
and shall plant n Pope willow to
celebrate" He planted the cutting in
Boston but at the close of the war
he said, Il have had a change of
heart and have given my Pope willow
to John Park Curtis who has planted
1t on his Virginia estate" 1t is the
progenitor of all the American Weep
Ing willows; for many years known
as the Washington, or as the Pope
willow.
The cequoias of California, many OF
which are over four hundred feet high
and claimed by scientists to be over
seven thousand years old, are exceed
ed in height only by the eucalypti
OF Australia. The live oaks of Palo
Alto are among the wonders of the
tree world.
The palms near San Diego planted
by Father Juan Juneparo in 1918 "as
sign OF Gods love for the Indians"
are standing; reaching year by year
their tuffed heads nearer the sky.
But the history Of many trees has