The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1916-03-31
GIVING ARBOR DAY A PRAcTI.
CAL TURN.

Systematic Planting for Reclamation
and Improvement as a Substi-
tute for Haphazard Work
Carelessly Done and
Soon Forgotten.
The annual proclamation Of the
/ Governor reminds us that Arbor Day
falls on Friday, the 7th of April.
It calls on people irrespective of age
or sex to aid the efforts which the
State itself is making to- set Mary
land well up among the other States
sor it's attractive homes, fine trees,
/ and valuable forests.
Arbor Day, very unfortunately, is
but one day in a year, and people
have often remarked that if the en-
thusiasm and effort expended on that
day toward the planting of trees and
the conservation of forests might be
distributed over the year as whole,
much good might be accomplished in
practical direction. Since OBJ
viously this is not, or cannot, be so,
it remains to ascertain what steps
may be taken to the end that the
resultant benefits of one days work
may themselves be diveded among
this and many years, not failing in
| their effects through the cessation of
enthusiasm and care too often prone
to succeed the tree-planting of insti-
tutions and individuals on Arbor
Day.
Since its formation in 1906, the
State Board of Forestry of Maryland
has been bending good share of
its energies toward inducing owners
of waste land to reclaim them
through more profitable use. The
State of Maryland is normally a
fertile one, IL per cent of it's total
land area, 674,955 acres, are classi-
| fed as waste lands at the present
time. This is unfortunate, but none
the less fact, and lands once good
enough to grow good crops of
timber, later showing profitable re-
turns when used for agricultural,
have so far deteriorated through the
direct effects of forests removal,
erosion, and poor use as. hardly to
be fit now for anything, certainly
not for farms. Only one crop is
still available; that is of trees. For
two years landowners of the State
have had the opportunity Of buying
standard, wel1-grown forest planting
stock at cost. Many OF them have.
and a year ago about $4,000 trees
grew and planted several million
and though they are larger than we,
the disproportion in size is infinitely
less than that in planting. Other
sections should not be more pro-
gressive than this, probably are not
really, but something is needed to
convert this subject of tree-planting
from an admitted need to an accom-
plished fact.
Arbor Day affords an opportunity,
and forest planting stock is still OBJ
tainable through the Board of Fores-
try at Baltimore. Such standard
varieties as White Pine, Norway
Spruce, Red Oak, Black and Honey
Locust, White Ash and American
Elm are for sale as little trees to
persons, schools, and organizations
at low per-thousand charge,
averaging rather less than one cent
each. Large quantities and single
trees are sold, and the forest plan
tation is one which thrives under
minium of cultivation and care.
Full directions for proper planting
accompany each order filed, and
when desired expert assistance from
the Office of the State Forester,
Johns Hopkins University, is also
supplied to formulate planting plans
or execute the work.
The planting season will COM
mence on or before Arbor Day.
Organizations or individuals who
wish to give practical trend to that
days work, combining attractiveness
and utility, sentiment and business,
cannot do better than by carrying it
out in systematic way that will
later reflect their good judgment
and prove an excellent investment.
They should order trees at once.