202 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



April 



able, indoor exercises are used. 

 Where real planting can be done, how- 

 ever, that is generally a part of the ob- 

 servance. It is recognized that liter- 

 ary exercises, though valuable, are 

 not sufficient without the actual setting 

 out of trees. The State Superintend- 

 ent of Washington writes that in the 

 western part of the State trees are en- 

 tirely too numerous, hence indoor ex- 

 ercises make up the day's observance, 

 but east of the Cascade Mountains the 

 leverse is true. 



ly well wooded, the value of trees has 

 not been appreciated until recent 

 years. A.t the present time, however, 

 probably every State and Territory in 

 the Union has an Arbor Day, fixed by 

 proclamation of some public authority. 

 Innumerable applications are made 

 by citizens all over the country for 

 trees from the Government nurseries. 

 These cannot be granted, because the 

 Government is unable to grow trees 

 enough for the planting needed in the 

 National Forests. Furthermore, the 



Starting the seedling collections on their way after packing 



Not only the school children have 

 planted trees, however, bi^t their ex- 

 ample has stimulated their elders ; and 

 in fact, Arbor Day has been by no 

 means intended for a school day only. 

 but it has been recognized as a day for 

 the whole community to act in unison 

 for this form of public improvement. 

 This is especially the case in the prairie 

 States, where trees are scarce, and the 

 need is felt. As we all know, in the 

 parts of the country which are natural- 



kinds of trees desirable vary .to the 

 greatest extent with the infinite diver- 

 sity of climatic and soil conditions. It 

 has been suggested, however, that the 

 States provide means for distribution 

 of trees at a low cost, for school pur- 

 poses or to promote tree planting by 

 citizens where trees are scarce. Twen- 

 ty-six States now have forest officers, 

 and all have agricultural experiment 

 stations, where such work might be 

 carried on. 



