The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-11-19

study? Whittier did not lack this
influence In his development. He says
Il was rich in flowers and trees,
Humming birds and honey bees.
For my sport the squirrel played,
Piled the shouted mole his spade.
For my taste the blackberry cone
Purpeld over hedge and stone.
Laughed the brook for my delight,
Through the day and through the
night,
Whispered at the garden wall,
Talked with me from fall to fall.
Mine the sand trimmed pickerel pond
Mine the walnut slopes beyond,
Mine on bending orchard trees,
Apples of Hesperides.
Longfellow says:
IF thou art worn, and beset,
With sorrow that thou woulds't for
get,
If thou woulds't learn a lesson that
will keep
Thy heart from fading and thy soul
from sleep
Go to the woods and hills; no tears
Dim the sweet smile that Nature
wears.
Last summer | went through Ne
braska and sitting almost all day in
the observation car, we noticed even
in extreme western Nebraska, the
many groves of trees. j. Sterling
Morton gets the credit of starting the
observance Of Arbor Day. Lowell
says of Bryant, He is worthy to have
a tree planted on his grave" But
think OF the monument Mr.. Morton
has left. As we rolled along and the
late summer twilight descended far
and near the groves were standing
like platoons OF soldiers guarding the
land.
The trees have had great climatic
influence, and now for US there is a
great work to do in Idaho Let us
interest every farmer in planting
trees, you know that many farm
houses are bare and treeless, let us
study ways and means Of getting
them interested; and that next year
Let every club observe Arbor Day
Last year along the line of this work
we in our club, started a park. The
children bought, planted and named
about thirty of the trees. Next year
we hope to have some way of putting
the name on each tree. / believe we
could get legislation that would al
low the commissioners to plant trees
along the public highways. Then, in
time, would come better roads. We
are here to make our homes, let us
work for a beautiful Idaho. II every
club woman in this district would
plant next Arbor Day, dozen trees,
those who are good in mental arith-
metic, just tell us how many trees
would be planted? Thousands.
Now, | am going to say few
words for the birds. The protection
of the birds has been given into the
care OF. the forestry committee. Here
in this part of Idaho, we have not
many birds, but let us protect those
we have. And as our trees grow,
more will come. We can teach our
children that withoutI the birds all
the trees would soon perish. Mr..
Mills says, that in Louisiana alone,
over two millions of our little demo-
crat among birds, the robin, has been
killed by boys for pot-pies. All, moth
ers, can't you tell your boys about
the birds and make them love them
Some birds nest within the Attic
Circle and winter in the southern part
of the southern hemisphere, taking
their journeys Of thousands Of miles,
a rnt TIN L
marvellous regularity. 1t is said the
extent Of birds migration depends
upon food. The land birds of the
western states winter in Mexico, those
of the eastern states go to the West
Indies, Central America, and even as
far south as the Argentine Republic.
Birds of strong flight, migrtae by day,
but the shy and retiring birds of
woods and thickets wait for darkness
and journey by night. They follow
coast lines and river valleys and it is
said they fly from one to three miles
high. Think what fascinating story
that would make for the children.
have complained about the lack
Of sentiment, but must tell you an
incident. An empty box car had been
left in the yards of western rail-
road division. 1t needed repairs, but
upon the arrival of the men, they dis
covered a robin had built its nest
therein, and 1t was left undisturbed.
Then there is the great value to
agricultural interests; they destroy
insects. We are apt to think that
hawks are legitimate prey. but 573
large winged ants, parts Of 76 small
ants and 16 grasshoppers were found
In one hawks stomach.
wish every woman had SO much
sentiment that she would not wear
the bodies Of birds as head dress. I
wish you would all tell your children
of the slaughter Of the white heron
for the aigrettes. Your child will see
to 1t then that you do not wear them,
for the little hearts are tender.
The poet Lanier wrote to his
friend Bayard Taylor; Tell Mrs. Tay-
lor / wish we could send her a rose
from the little garden, but we don't
dare pick one of them by reason Of
the hooking bird Is setting on her
eggs in the bush. and we shrink from
disturbing the tranquility of her mind
at this interesting period"