The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-04-29
By ELMo scoTr WATSON

III 1t A HE observance oFsArbor day varies
! ! ! ! {: ! ] !. ]
\ in the different states of the I'm
Z nm ion, although the majority of the
- n celebrations are held during the
l-SRE Al latter part Of April or the first
lsARM " part Of May. But whatever the
6A% date, it has special significance
0&4D this year because of two men. For
1#S~s 1882 is the bicentennial of the
IVA birth of George Washington, the
9ss3Ees7ss<ssA Father Of His Country" and the
centennial of the birth of J. Ster-
ling Morton, the "Father Of ArbOr
bay"
The connection of George washington with
Arbor day celebrations lies in the fact that this
year he has been the inspiration for the most
extensive tree-planting program ever undertake
en- in this country For part OF the general
bicentennial celebration program this year has
been the project, sponsored by the American
Tree association of Washington D. c., of plant
ing 100000 trees, all dedicated to Washing
ton, veritable living memorial stretching from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Cana
dian line to the Mexican border.
In announcing this project at the time that
President Coolidge created the Washington BIZ
centennial commission to have charge Of the
general celebration this year, Charles Lathrop
Pack president of the American Tree associa-
ton, said
"What more significant and unique method
which American feels for Washington? Wash
ington himself must have loved trees for his
diary contains repeated references to their value
and care; and he chose a spot for his home
where their beauty is unexcelled. Along the
shaded path that leads to his final resting place,
two columns of TRIM straight larches stand
like sentinels, his constant companions, along
with those thousands Of Americans who come
to pay him reverence during the daylight hours.
tHe must have loved the regal beauty Of a
tree. In the symbolism of tree can Washing
ton be remembered preeminently Deep-rooted
in the ground, tree is like man, coming up
out of the earth, but lifting its branches to
heaven. And as it grows in usefulness, so 1t
grows In beauty. 1t may outlast the ages, 1t
offers it's shade to all alike, and it's disinterested
ministries succour a thirsty countryside and
provide for its physical and esthetic necessi-
ties. So tree bespeaks the spirit Of Washing
ton. He was democratic in his services, regal
IN his leadership commanding in his principles,
while he extended brotherly hand to a new
and independent people struggling for fuller
freedom"
Not only have millions of trees already been
planted in honor Of Washington and registered
with the American Tree association by social,
civic and patriotic clubs and organizations as
well as by individuals but the bicentennial
tree planting idea has now gone around the
world.
King Boris III OF Bulgaria has Joined this
great tree planting army in honoring Washing
ton by presenting to Henry w. Shoemaker, the
American minister at Sofia, two very rare Balk-
an varieties of evergreens one for the legation
garden, the other for the American school near
Sofia. These trees have been planted by Min
lister Shoemaker. who is from Pennsylvania,
with the help Of the legation staff and with l.
Kerekoff Of the Bulgarian foreign office repre-
senting that nation. Mrs. Shoemaker, Mrs. May
nard Barnes, Mrs. Frank Barnes, wives of the
secretaries of the legation, and Mr. H. Frey, the
llHiRg's landscape gardener aided in the planting
"a THE tree.
J|oseph G. Grew, the American ambassador at
xstaWbul, Turkey, was the first representative
Of the American government in the foreign
I land to register on the national roll when he
planted three black walnut trees with Eugene
M. Hinkle signing the application on the ma
tional honor roll as a witness.
Following this came the registration of Fred
Morris Dearing, American ambassador at Lima,
Peru, who, with Garrett G. Ackerson, Jr., az a
witpess, planted tree to mark the bicentenniel
Of the birth Of Washington at the Country club