400 ANNUAL KEPORT 



ARBOE DAY. 



Proclamation Appointing April 2Qth as the Day of Observance : 



Arbor day may be considered as one of the most pleasing fes- 

 tivals of the year, and its observance is now so general through- 

 out the states and territories of the Union that it has become al- 

 most national' in its character. The day possesses the rare 

 feature of being one of pleasure to those who participate in the 

 work to which it is dedicated, and of being in far greater degree 

 fruitful in blessings to the children, the children's children and 

 the generations to follow. Certainly no labor can better engage 

 the hands of the men, women and children of our state, upon a 

 designated day, than the planting of trees, shrubs and vines to 

 beautify the home acre, and to make the neucleus of groves sim- 

 ilar to those that now dot the prairies of our state, and which 

 the years will develop into forests that will charm the eye, en- 

 hance the beauty of our landscape and prove beneficial to the 

 commonwealth. 



Complying with the custom requiring the chief executive of 

 this state to designate the day, I, William R. Merriam, governor 

 of the State of Minnesota, do hereby name Friday, April 26th, 

 instant, as Arbor day, and do earnestly hope that all citizens of 

 the state, individually or as communities, and through the me- 

 dium of their churches and societies, shall observe the same in 

 manner as shall seem most fitting, enjoyable, and which shall 

 accomplish the most for the work to which the day is set apart. 

 It is desirable that the day be made as attractive as possible to 

 the school children of the state, and that some features interest- 

 ing to them may be made part of the exercises. It is also hoped, 

 that so far as practicable, all commercial and industrial opera- 

 tions may be suspended throughout the state on this day. 



Given under my hand and the great seal of the state, at the 

 capitol, St. Paul, this third day of April in the year of our Lord 

 one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine and of the inde- 

 pendence of the United States the one hundred and thirteenth. 



William R. Mekkiam, 



Governor. 

 H. Mattson, 



Secretary of State. 



