OCR Text |
Show Okrerve Arbor DaK THE planting of trees by school children on Arbor day is accompanied accom-panied in every case by ceremonies ceremo-nies intended both to impress upon those present the beauty of trees and their effect in improving the appearance appear-ance of school grounds, streets, parka and yards and to lead them to a realization reali-zation of the value of community and national foresight and preparedness. Arbor day has become a school festival festi-val as the result of a process of evolution. evolu-tion. The plan began as a means of Inducing the people of the almost treeless tree-less state of Nebraska to co-operate in an attempt to supply the trees necessary neces-sary for shade, farm protection, and fuel and timber for neighborhood use. Instead of an economic expedient, Arbor day is now a festival combining pleasure, utility and instruction, and one of the greatest benefits of its ob- Fine Old Trees Bordering a New Eng.: land Country Road. servance has been Its effect in im- pressing upon the minds of the young people the value of trees and the ne-' cessity of conserving all the natura resources of the country. As a school festival it has spread) aot only throughout the whole United1 States but far beyond its borders. The time of the observance of Ar-, bor 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, 4ate is early in the year in the South, and is set further along toward sum-i mer in the more northern states. A clean and beautiful town is a; source of pride to its 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 asi trees; and nothing so educates thei people in public spirit and foresight, is the care of trees. Recently Arbor day has begun to be used as a means of stirring up inter-j ast in roadside planting, first in cities: tnd then in rural communities. The; 'oity 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 their care and the variety of trees planted on each, a leaflet giving directions for the planting plant-ing and care of trees along the streets and a general Arbor day pamphlet. In one year nearly 3,177 trees were planted plant-ed on 46 streets. Many other cities are now organizing the work of tree planting plant-ing on the streets, and in every case Arbor day is used as a means of arousing arous-ing public interest. In 1913 the United States bureau of education issued a bulletin entitled "Good Roads Arbor Day," in which were set forth the advantages ad-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 a well-built road dry, If they are not planted too close. The roots by constantly taking in water assist as-sist in drainage, and the tops by breaking break-ing the force of driving rains prevent washes in the roadway. The most important im-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 hastened. The greatest value of Arbor day lies in its effect upon our attitude toward the trees that are already growing; lor 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 graze 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 not 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 ills woodlot than into his cornfield |