The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-10-03
!. Johnny Appleseeds'

the On10 fe0efat1On OF w omen
Clubs, Charles Lathrop Pack, the pre-
sident Of the American Tree Associa-
ton of Washington, D. c., called on
the Ohio women to all enlist as John
ny Appleseeds, and organize tree
planting army before Fall planting
time. Mr.. Pack said the only way
to Join the American Tree Associa-
ton is to plant a tree and register it
on the Associations national honor
roll There are no yearly "dues."
Tree planting suggestions will be
sent to any club.
Back in the last century," said
Mr.. Pack, lone Johnny Appleseed
roamed these valleys. He carried his
appleseed with him and urged upon
all to plant and plant again. He
could see the trees disappearing. OF
course his progress was slow but 1T
was not so slow but that Ohio claims
and Indiana claims him, as do some
other states. However, his work was
SO effective his name still lives, for
Johnny Appleseed is tradition
throughout this Western Reserve.
Twill you all go back to your homes
as Johnny Appleseeds? The message
he carried is of much more Importance
today than when he carried it and
earned his odd nickname. You can
make this state the leader in the
tree planting army just as it is the
leader in so many things.
1--WE are calling upon the people to
celebrate the centennial of Arbor Day
in 1912 by planting the trees now.
People are talking trees as never be-
fore. But what is better, they are
planting them. They are asking how
to plant and how to care for them
after they are planted. They are
| planting trees as Roads of Remem-
brance, memorial avenues, memorial
groves, and in many places the town
forest idea is taking hold. Just the
other day the Rotary Clubs of San
Joaquin County, California, made a
day of it, and planted the entire
stretch of the Lincoln Highway across
that county, and the good women of
the county provided the food ard
spread the lunch along the roadside,
where the men were working. 1t
was community affair in which ev-
eryone had part.
There are millions of acres Of idle
land in the United States once covered
with growing trees. They could be
that way today had scientific forestry
been practiced in this country during
the last forty years. The virgin for
est of the United States covered $780,
100000 acres, while today only one
sixth of this vast forest asset is left.
The greatest enemy to our forest re-
sources, fire, is responsible for the
loss of 100000 acres, an area as
large as the state of Utah during a
recent five-year period. This money
is estimated at $85,000,000.
"Now just what can an organiza-
ton of women do about helping to
correct this situation? You have
done some remarkable things. Then
why not turn your attention to the
forestry question in this country!
Thousands of women have taken up
tree planting in one form or another.
True this is not forestry on the gigan-
tic scale on which the trained forester
looks at the subject, but the aim is
the same for there is only one way
to have more trees, and that is to
grow them.
"The trees are their own best ad-
vertisement. For this reason the
forestry department Of Minnesota has
program that calls for thirty thou
sand trees along the states roads ev-
cry year. You see the state of Min
nesota believes in putting the trees
out where people can see them. When
the forestry department wants an ap-
preparation for extensive forestry
work on it's millions of idle acres the
department will find responsive pub
lie that knows the value of trees.
".What is Ohio doing? Not much /
must confess, yet here and there the
women have made wonderful start.
At Cincinnati tree campaign in the
schools brought fine letter from
President Harding. The women at
Attica have planted Road of Remem-
brance for Edith Ayres Of that town,
the first nurse to give her life to her
country. The women at Canton have
planted trees along the Lincoln High
way and the avenue leading from that
highway to the tomb of William Nc
Kinley At Lima much planting has
been done. At Canton thousands of
trees have been given the school chill
dren for planting.
81 want to assure you that this ma
ton is becoming a nation of tree
planters, slowly but surely, and when
it does we will have national forest
policy in this country that will put
our millions Of idle acres to work.
That legislation will come only when
there is great popular demand for
it; when the taxpayer sees how the
need Of cheap forest products affects
the high cost of living. That is the
way all vital legislation, having to
do with the country's welfare, has
come and this will be no exception to
the rule. So, l say to you-go back
to your homes and make plans for
planting in the Fall. Arouse your
community with the Johnny Apple
seed message and put Ohio in the
front ranks of the tree planting
army"
/ la