Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1916-04-14

servance has been it's effect in i'm
pressing upon the minds of the young
people the value of trees and the ne
cessity of conserving all the natural
resources of the country.
AS school festival it has spread
not only throughout the whole United
States but far beyond its borders.
The time Of the observance of Ar
Dor day varies greatly in different
states and countries, being determined
somewhat by climatic conditions. In
many states Of the Union it is COM
bined with Bird day. In general the
date is early in the year in the South
and is set further along toward sum-
mer in the more northern states.
A clean and beautiful town is a
source of pride to it's citizens and a
constant incentive to them to go on
and do better. A slovenly town is apt
to mean slovenly inhabitants. Nothing
so helps to beautify a city or town as
trees; and nothing so educates the
people in public spirit and foresight
as the care of trees.
Recently Arbor day has begun to be
used as means of stirring up inter-
est in roadside planting, first in cities
and then in rural communities. The
city of Newark, N. J., is doing model
work in this line. There is a special
shade tree commission, which issues a
map of the city on which are shown the
streets that are in thejr care and the
variety of trees planted on each, a
leafiet giving directions for the plant
ing and care Of trees along the streets
and general Arbor day pamphlet In
one year nearly 3,177 trees were plant
ed on 46 streets. Many other cities are
now organizing the work of tree plant
ing on the streets, and in every case
Arbor day is used as means of arOus-
ing public interest. In 1913 the United
States bureau of education issued
bulletin entitled ''Good Roads Arbor
Day. in which were set forth the adj
vantages of planting trees along the
highways.
Some objection has been made to
trees along the roadside on the ground
that they hinder drying out after wet
weather. This holds good if the road
is poorly built; but trees are actually
an aid in keeping well-built road dry,
If they are not planted too close. The
roots by constantly taking in water as
sist in drainage, and the tops by break
ing the force Of driving rains prevent
washes in the roadway. The most i'm
portant use of trees by the roadside,
however, is the prevention of dust.
Dust is the cementing material in
macadam roads, and if it is loosened
and blown away the breaking up Of
the road is FASTENED.
The greatest value of Arbor day lies
in it's effect upon our attitude toward
the trees that are already growing; for
manifestly there are thousands Of
trees of natural origin to every one
planted by man. The average citizen
is only now beginning to care for these
trees.
Farmers have been in the habit Of
| turning their cattle in to Craze on
| their woodlands, where they break off
and destroy the young growth, trample
and injure the roots of the larger trees
and pack the ground hard, thus net
only destroying the future forest but
shortening the life of the trees that
are already growing. The Arbor day
student who has been taught to plant
and care for trees will, in after years,
no more think of turning cattle into
his woodlot than into his cornfeld.