The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-11-27
Notes and News
Of Interest
1$%Jas By N. +. ". $3.50

The lure of the woods is upon us and
the spirit of melancholy days, the sweet
est of the year, makes the nature loving
heart long to go out into the deep mys-
FERROUS forest where the earth is thlckly
streWn with a carpet of leaves. 1t is
nearly tree planting time, and those who
love the Towering trees of the woods
should prepare now to transplant them
to their own grounds. Just across the
way our neighbor who knows the deer
paths and trails of the woods like an In
dian, came back from a tree hunting ex-
pedition bringing several shapely young
trees, the snowy crested dogwood and
the beautiful redbud that looks, when 1t
is in bloom, like a great pink parasol.
One growing on Cotton street has been
the spring beauty of the season for sew
Feral wears, though its slender trunk has
twice been broken by the wind, it has
been bandaged and still lives. 1t is sur
prising how ignorant many people are
stand sentinel at our door and make
home for the birds. Women are urged
to aid in conservation. This sounds like
a subject for state or national leglsla-
ton, but it really is what all women can
do with good results. They can plant
trees and protect trees. In Germany the
roadsides are so bordered with fruit and
shade trees that they are said to resem-
bic CITY boulevards Women can vlgor-
ously protect on all occasions against
the unnecessary destruction of the trees
in her neighborhood, the cutting down
and mutilating of beautiful trees and
shrubs wanton1y> or for the purpose OF
selling them for decorative use. The
vandal spirit which prevails here does
not exist in European countries, or else
it is restrained by law.
These trees are never injured by hav-
ing their branches broken or their
trunks hacks as is done not only to the
trees on our roadside but in parks and
private grounds Our most beautiful
wild trees and shrubs are just being de-
stroyed.
The splendid azalea which once COW
cred the halls with glory of pink and
white blossoms has passed away under
the hands of picknickers and flower ped
dlers So with the superb rhododendron
Or mountain laurel that glorifed our
streams, the dogwood, the sweet shrub,
the exquisite crab apple. The holly and
the cedar have been so ruthlessly cut
down for Christmas decoration that few
of these can now be obtained, and the
young pines are being sacrificed in their
stead.
More attention should be given to Ar
Dor Day. 1t should be widely observed,
not only in schools, but by the entire
community 1t could be made a means
of creating love of trees, desire to
protect them and study their different
characters. It should be general holi-
day given gala aspect by means of
music, songs, readings and talks.
Among other entertainments on this
holiday there might be a contest con-
corning trees, awarding prizes to those
who had planted the greatest number,
also prizes to those who should be best
able to tell the names and characteristics
of different trees, by looking at leaf
of each one The old Greeks loved trees
and endowed them with human sense
and feeling. What tender poetic plea,
1'Woodman spare that tree, deserves to
be made the national Arbor~ Day song.
Listen the choir is singing, all the birds,
In leafy galleries beneath the caves,
Are singing, listen, ere the sund be fed,
And learn there may be worship without
words