Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1922-04-07
BEAUTIFYING THE
COUNTRY HOMESTEAD
ArbOr Day

Friday, April the seventh is Arbol
day. According to our Missouri stu.
dents, the first Friday after the first
Tuesday of each year is set apart
as Arbor day, and all teachers, pupils
and patrons are requested to observe
the same by devoting part of this day
to literary exercises bearing on this
subject, and by planting trees, shrub
berry and flowers upon and around the
school grounds, so they may be made
beautiful and attractive.
The Missouri State Horticultural
society has set apart this entire week
for each year, for the most favorable
time to plant trees, and this society
has issued an Arbor day bulletin
which ought to be in every school IL
brary and home of our state. It is
not only tree planting manual, but
an interesting literary pamphlet, and
beneficial to all who read it.
We are told herein, that Hon. J.
Sterling Monitor, a member of Presi-
dent Cleveland's cabinet was the
originator of Arbor day, and that his
enthusiasm for trees was Infectious.
1t was by his efforts that in Nebraska
half century ago, the law makers of
that commonwealth, designated one
day as Arbor day. And it is a matter
of record, that million trees were set
out the first Arbor day throughout
that state, a monument indeed to a
noble purpOsed man, which we do we'll
TO emulate.
We have touched somewhat upon
the matter of planting trees and
shrubbery around the homestead, in
our former articles, but the subject is
so extensive, that we trust something
helpful may be added, thereto in this
issue.
1t should be the rule of every home
owner in the country as well as the
city, to plant at least one tree, a
shrub and a perennial Towering plant
each year around the home. All of us
love something new; a new home, new
outbuildings, new furniture, and new
raiment; tSef Why not plant new var
ieties of treesy new shrubs and flow
ers about your home, which yea may
watch and enjoy in their growth and
development into maturity?
Is your family orchard complete? ?
Does it contain varied varieties of ap-
pies, peaches, plums, pears, and ber-
ries or vines and plants? Has some
new flower or monthly rose been made
to flourish in the dear housewives
garden in the last decade? Have you
thought of the new comforts you might
enjoy in years to come, if you would
but plant an evergreen windbreak on
the sides of the homestead from
whence the rigid wintry northwinds
come? Think of the pleasures you
thus provide for the beautiful song
birds, that will repay you a hun
dredfold for the protection of your
crops, and the joys to be shared by
those who come after you, your sons
and daughters, as they revisit and
look upon the old homestead on
Thanksgiving or Christmas day. Such
need not be expensive or
take up much ground, for our nur-
serymen who make evergreens their
speciality are offering them reasonably
cheap, and two rows planted alter
nately fourteen feet apart will in due
time make real wind barrier. Po-
'atoes or some other garden vegeta-
oles may be planted between the
rows of these trees until the trees
attain some size.
Don't say, II have no time for these
.hings; or what so many say, 'I'm
90 old to begin planting trees now;"
'ut with the school children of our
tate make Friday special day to
your home grounds, and in
rease the value of your habitation
" the, planting of trees and shrubs
md flowers.
CHARLES W. STEIMAN.