14 ARBOR DAY ITS HISTORY AND OBSERVANCE. 



friends, and while we shall freely make use of them in the various arts 

 and industries of life, we shall be mindful of their value in other respects 

 and find constant delight in their companionship. 



To show the natural result of the establishment of Arbor Day and 

 how it increases its hold upon the regard of a people from year to year 

 as it becomes more and more familiar to them and its obvious lessons 

 are learned by them, it is enough to adduce the history of Nebraska, 

 in which the day originated since the time it began to be celebrated 

 there. Arbor Day originated in this manner: At an annual meeting of 

 the Nebraska State board of agriculture held in the city of Lincoln, 

 January 4, 1872, J. Sterling Morton, of Nebraska City, introduced the 

 following resolution, which was unanimously adopted after some little 

 debate as to the name, some of those present contending for the term 

 " Sylvan " instead of "Arbor : " 



Resolved, That Wednesday, the 10th day of April, 1872, be, and the same is hereby, 

 especially set apart and consecrated for tree planting in the State of Nebraska, and 

 the State board of agriculture hereby name it Arbor Day ; and to urge upon the peo- 

 ple of the State the vital importance of tree planting, hereby offer a special premium 

 of one hundred dollars to the agricultural society of that county in Nebraska which 

 shall, upon that day, plant properly the largest number of trees; and a farm library 

 of twenty-five dollars' worth of books to that person who, on that day, shall plant 

 properly, in Nebraska, the greatest number of trees. 



The result was that over a million trees were planted in Nebraska on 

 that first Arbor Day. 



Three years later the day had attained such favor with the people 

 that the governor, by public proclamation, set apart the third Wednes- 

 day of April as Arbor Day, and recommended that the people observe 

 it as a day of tree planting. Annually thereafter other governors of 

 the State followed this example, until at the session of the legislature 

 in 1885 an act was passed designating the 22d day of April, the birth- 

 day of Mr. Morton, as the date of Arbor Day, and making it one of the 

 legal holidays of the State. 



As further showing the deep lodgment which Arbor Day has gained 

 in the regard of the people of Nebraska, and the interest with which 

 it is cherished by them, it is significant to notice that since the inaugu- 

 ration of Arbor Day a provision has been embodied in the constitution 

 of the State which recites, "That the increased value of lands by 

 reason of live fences, fruit, and forest trees grown and cultivated 

 thereon shall not be taken into account in the assessment thereof." 



The following statutory enactments are now in existence also : 



SEC. 3. That the corporate authorities of cities and villages of the State of 

 Nebraska shall cause shade trees to be planted along the streets thereof. 



SEC. 4. For the above purpose a tax of not less than one dollar nor more than five 

 dollars, in addition to all other taxes, shall be levied upon each lot adjacent to which 

 the trees are to be planted as aforesaid, and collected as other taxes. 



SEC. 5. Trees shall be annually planted, when practicable, on each side of one- 

 fourth of the streets in each city and village in the State of Nebraska, until all shall 

 have shade trees along them not more than twenty feet apart. 



