Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-13

XHMAl state of Oklahoma, being THE
81 HzkIl Friday following the second
l@ W3l Monday In March, as stipu
~ NI lated by the laws of the com
monwealth. With the pos
sible exception of Delaware.
every state and territory has day
known as Arbor day. The variation In
climatic conditions has necessarily Y
made the selection of that day dit-
ferent one throughout the Union. In
Texas 1t falls in February; In Arkansas
and Oklahoma in March; in Nebraska.
Utah and Colorado in April; In Rhode
Island and Montana in May. Other
states have put Arbor day In the late
fall and winter calendar Georgia hav-
ing the first Friday in December. In
some states the day is legal holiday.
In some it has never had definite
date. that being left to the discretion
of the governors.
A few yehrs ago Arbor day was gener-
ally classed In the average mind as
being only among the things that go to
make up very attractive school calen-
dar. 1t meant gathering at the little
red schoolhouse to see a procession OF
boys and girls In their best clothes
march proudly past sickly little sap
ling stuck awry in badly excaVateu
hole, throw in a handful of dirt ana
murmur some sentiment In regard 10
trees and flowers. Uusually the tree
died, and the general belief was that
the lesson of the day died too. But the
lesson did not die. In proof the. doubt :
ing Thomases can be cited TO the Iact
that a more practical side has been
developed. more practical turn given
the exercises of the day, and In many
instances lectures on practical forestry.
gardening and plant study are taking
the place of the sentimental addresses
and pretty poems. These sentimental
things, however, were not to be cried
down; they served their turn. IL IS
only that times are getting TO be more
practical and things more utilitarian.
In Canada, WHERE our idea of Arbor
day spread early, the proclamation
naming the day and stating its pur-
pose also stated that on that day the
school gardens must be planted ana
shrubs set for beautifying the grounus.
This is an idea that the forest service
of the United States heartily indorses,
and its workers further urge that or
Arbor day each school plant tree SEEDS,
so as to have the plants ready 1or
future use.
.'The lesson of Arbor day is the use
and value of the tree in the life OF the
nation" says the forest service in one
of it's circulars. 1t deplores the lack OF
prolonged interest that has hitherto
characterized the observance OF the
day, the poor judgment displayed IN
selecting trees that are adapted 10
local conditions of climate and soil, the
lack of care later given the trees, ana
the smallness of the scale on wnicn
planting has usually been done. Wnen
all it hopes for i'm the meaning of Arbor
day has been realized, the nation will
see that the day has come to have a
wide significance. The term SHOULD
connote knowledge of trees, the value
of trees for the protection and improve
ment of home and school grounds. as
well as the planting of trees to produce
material for farm uses and TO augment
the waning supply of timber.
One mission of Arbor day should be TO
make every child in the. United States
know the native trees near his home,
how they grow and how they are repro
duced. Such a lesson will ultimately
be invaluable when the nation begins TO
realize the necessity for conservative
numbering and the arts of reforesting.
Then it will be known what trees TO
use. In the lake states and the states
of the northeast most of the timber
lands have been laid waste, but the
state and individuals are planting white
pine with a prospect of money return
IOr Ine next 6cllSidtioil, ofae eNi4 e.A~- - :
in land values. New York state alone
has reforested 1000 acres In the Adiron~
dacks.
Railroads of the east are planting
trees on the mountain sides for future
supplies of ties, and coal companies
are planting oak chestnut, European
larch, locust and like species for fu-
ture props in their mines. The farmers
of the wind-swept middle west and
those out on the open irrigation
projects are setting out fast-growing
species, such as cottonwood and NOT
way poplar. for posts and shelter belts
and wood lots of European larch, ca
talpa, locust, Usage orange ana douple
rows of pines. and spruce Southern
California is dotted with groves OF
eucalyptus, that wonderful rapid
growing tropical tree suited only TO
that state, while the government, with
its 900. 900 seedlings to set out each
year. is planting Douglas fir, yellow
pine, Jeffrey pine and incense cedar.
One of the biggest lessons to be
taught on Arbor day, one of equal in
terest in country place or crowded
city, is that the water supply of the
country is dependent on the forests of
the mountain and hillsides; that only
by trees and their roots can the ma
tion's water resources be conserved for
irrigation purposes, for manufacturing
power and for supplying the cities with
water. Uncle Sans perpetual Arbor
day of 365 real days is devoted to the
work of planting thousands of trees
on deforested lands in national parks,
and 1t is an object lesson that is