The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-24
BEDDING PROTECTIVE
 LEAGUE HAS BEEN
 INSPIRATION TO OTHERS
A Few Facts Tending to Impress the Doubling ThomaSes-PIanting
 HiIlsides With Trees.

Bedding, Jan. 24-That the Bedding Protective Lea ague has now more than one hundred members and that its for nation and activities have inspired a number of other Connecticut towns to organize similar bodies, were among the statements made by Secretary Plump in his remarks at the recent League dinner in New York. The tone of his ,addres was highly optinis- tic Among other things he said:
 Our speakers have shown us how We may conserve our natural re- sources, and how the attractions of our town may be enhanced through the growth and increase of the ever wonderful life of our fields and hills. But after all any changes we may
 bring about are only the outward manifestation of the quality and char acter of the life that lies within our selves, the life which has the great est potential possibilities for the per
 manent welfare of Bedding. Our town life and the nature of our community spirit are the final tests that will de- termine the extent and effectiveness of our work. Make that life healthy, wholesome and vigorous, and material progress and improvement will inevit- ably come to Bedding as a sequence" :"
 State Forester Spring in an address preceding that of MT. Plump, declared that nothing would do more to beau tify the town of Bedding within the next ten years than the general planting of the hillsides with pine trees under Ine new law lana so planted at the rate of 1900 pine seed lings to the acre is exempt from tax atiou for twenty years. If fire is kept out the land steadi- V increases in value from the timber standpoint during that period It is expected that at least one hundred thousand pine seed lings will be planted in various parts of the town next season under the supervision of the Connecticut Pores try Department Referring to this subject, MT. Plump said that unless something is done, and done quickly, for arousing public sentiment our hill sides will be damaged from the scenic standpoint to a degree that it wi take years to recover from. The League is in communication with the New Haven railroad with a view of having the land in the vicinity of Red ding Station used as an experimental planting plot for reforestation pur- poses.
 The secretary also described what the League was trying to do towards highway improvements, and went on to say:
 Another important suggested inn provement would be a suitable town hall for public gatherings, a rural center housed in a large plain at tractive bui' ding. fitted with kitchen and assembly hall for public meetings, social, recreative, and ucational. q building which will carry on all those activities which a town needs, a place in which any one who has anything to
 
 phase of rural life or which might stimulate to noble endeavor should find a roStrum and welcome Such a central meeting for the whole town of July celebra tions, Old Home Week events ana kindred gatherings. There should be sufficient space about the hall to admit of a playground for rural sports and pastimes. It should fur thermore have provision made for housing and protecting the town rec ords properly inCexed. Suitable rooms should also be arranged for the trans action of all town business therein. For our young people it would be q good plan to run a corn contest with substantial prizes for the boys and q similar flower or garden contest for the gir's. Another happy suggestion is that d travelling service be instituted from the Mark Twain Library, with the school houses serving as distribut- ing centers for the books. A series of standard rural books could be circu- lated in this manner with a resulta mt new viewpoint on many present day rural problems
 Ut would also be an excellent plan to start a Boy Scout movement in the town. 4 new railroad station Is bad " needed for Redding- Fortuna ely through the courtesy and co-opera ion of one of our members who is also. a member Of the Society of American have a planting plan for the grounds around the different railroad ations in the town, and the village green at Bedding Center, showing how these places may be simply, economically and appropriately beautified through a proper planting of shrubs. the work to be done next spring. Encoura cement will be given to improve farming methods through d continuance of lec- lures in the Gilbert Farm Course and additional Farmers Institute work. . Tine possibilities and opportunities that present themselves to all of us are faSCinati But while inagina- tion is of course needed to see those possibilities, it should be allied with q full know edge of practical needs so that Redding may receive the very best results from a definite, co-ordin- ated plan wisely and carefully drawn for the public good. The general out